I Can't Stop Loving You
by TheDCStar
Summary: Alvin and Brittany have always had feelings for each other, but when Alvin becomes a solo artist, he starts forgetting about Brittany. In return, Brittany forgets about him and meets the new boy in town. So, what will happen? Read and review!
1. Thinking of Him

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: This story is for all the Alvin and Brittany fans out there! Hope you guys enjoy reading!**

**Chapter One: Thinking of Him**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

I sat in my last class of the day with my head in my hands thinking of all the possible things I _could_ be doing besides what I was being forced to do at that very moment.

"And so class," my calculus teacher said. "The derivative of cosine over sine is…"

As the teacher continued is lecture, I began to ignore him.

This is just what I need, another day stuck in a stuffy classroom listening to a deathly monotonic teacher go on and on about something that I could care less about. Seriously, what was calculus good for? In my opinion, it was good for absolutely nothing.

To pass the time, I decided to take out my notebook and doodle. I loved doodling. It was the one thing I could do to get my mind off things, not to mention block out things I didn't want to hear, like my teachers' lectures.

As I started doodling, I couldn't help but overhear the faint whispering coming from behind me.

"God, wasn't Alvin Seville so cute at his rock concert Friday night?" a nasally voice whispered.

I gritted my teeth as I began to hear light, girlish giggles. I recognized that disgusting voice the minute I heard the first word spoken. It belonged to none other than Natalie Goldstein, otherwise known as the biggest flirt, or as I like to call her, the biggest slut, in the entire school.

Every day, Natalie would come into school wearing really tight shirts that were so low, her breasts practically fell out of the shirt, and her jeans were always skin tight. I could never understand how she could ever walk around in them. She always wore a lot a make-up. Coming from me, that's saying a lot. Her voice was the nastiest quality about her. It was so nasally, and it truly made me sick to listen to it.

I knew Natalie hated me, only because she was jealous. I've been a solo artist for a year now, and ever since then, she's been trying to be better than me. In my opinion, it was incredibly pathetic. You would think she had a life.

"I know," I heard one of giggling friends, or as I call them, followers, say. "I wouldn't mind breaking off a piece of that hot body."

That comment caused another round of giggles among the group, and I gripped my pencil tightly as I tried to continue doodling. The mention of _his _name truly made me gag. I swear if I ever heard that name again.

"Sorry, girl," Natalie said. "Alvin Seville is all mine."

When I heard Natalie say that, it really surpassed my limit. My hand continued to tighten around my pencil, and then, all of a sudden, I heard a snapping sound as I looked down at my hand. Damn it. Those bitches made me break my pencil, and that was my last one, too. I groaned loudly as I placed my head down on my desk. So many questions ran through my mind. I swear I could feel my brain literally pound against my skull. All the questions centered around one person.

Why am I letting _him_ bother me? Why does _he _matter? Why should I care about _him_?

Before I knew it, the last bell rang. Thank, God. Now I can get the hell out of there. I wanted as far away from those bimbos as possible. I quickly packed up my notebook as everyone practically squeezed themselves out the door to leave. I couldn't say I blamed them. It was Friday, and being anywhere else was better than being in school.

As I began zipping up my back pack, I felt something hard push against my back. The push had so much force that it caused me to knock my back pack off my lap and onto the floor. My notebooks and papers spread all over the place as they fell out. I heard a maniacal laugh come from behind me, and I turned around and grimaced when I saw the slut herself, along with her followers smirking at me. God, I really hated her guts.

"Oops, sorry, Brittany," she said as she continued to smirk at me.

Her group of followers began to laugh, and all I could do was glare at her while she and the rest of her followers left the room, their unbelievably high heels clicking behind them.

"Bitch," I said under my breath.

Natalie truly pissed me off. Just because she _thought _she was all that doesn't mean she was. She had no right to go around and treat everyone like dirt. I'm a spoiled rock star, and I act better than her. I truly hoped she would get what was coming to her.

I got down on the floor, quickly picked up my notebooks and placed them in my back pack. After packing all of my things, I slung my back pack over my shoulders and slowly walked out of the classroom. I walked down the long hallway towards my locker, trying my best not to think about the slut and her followers.

Once I made it to my locker, I dropped my bag on the ground, put in my combination, and opened it quickly. I picked all the books I would need for all my homework that night before turning to look at myself in the tiny magnetized mirror I had placed on the inside of my locker. God, my hair looked terrible. I swiftly pulled out my messy ponytail and began smoothing out my hair. As I finished fixing my hair, I saw something very displeasing. Looking in my mirror, I could see none other than Natalie and her followers walking down the hallway. They were surrounding someone, and I scowled when I realized who it was.

"Oh, Alvin," Natalie said affectionately. "You were awesome at the concert last Friday night."

Hearing Natalie's nasally voice and _his_ name made me cringe as I continued to watch the group, through my mirror, walk down the hallway. I looked at Alvin closely. His blue jeans were sagging slightly. His leather jack was slung over his shoulder along with his back pack, and he wore his signature red cap backwards. I knew I shouldn't have looked at him, because now, I couldn't help but think about how incredibly cute he looked. Damn it. What was I thinking?

"Well," Alvin said smoothly. "That's just how I roll."

His comment sent a round of laugher throughout the entire group of love struck bimbos, and I grimaced as I watched Natalie grab Alvin's arm as they continued to walk down the hallway. I clung to my locker door as if it were my life line as the group came closer. Soon, the group walked passed me and out of my sight. Thank, God.

That Alvin Seville, I swear I could kill him. He acted like such a big shot just because he was a solo artist now. I was a solo artist, too, but did anyone see me brag about it on a daily basis? Well, maybe a little, but Alvin took his fame to the extreme and let it go to his head. He was so arrogant, so selfish, so egotistical, so…so…

"Ugh! I hate Alvin Seville!" I screamed as I slammed my locker shut.

I stared at my locker for a whole minute before letting out a long, deep sigh. I could feel my expression soften as I placed my forehead on my locker.

"What am I saying?" I whispered to myself. "I don't hate him. I could never hate him."

I closed my eyes as my thoughts brought me back to Alvin. Even though Alvin was arrogant and egotistical, he was also something more. No one saw him as clearly as I did. Underneath that tough guy rocker image, there was a sweet, kind, and thoughtful person. The only time I ever saw it was when we were together. I guess I wouldn't be seeing it anymore.

"Brittany?" I heard from behind me.

I didn't have to guess who the voice belonged to. I lifted my head from my locker and turned around to see none other than my two sisters standing by my locker.

"Oh, hey, guys," I greeted solemnly.

"Are you ready to leave?" Jeanette asked.

"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff."

I bent down and slung my back pack over my shoulders.

"Let's go," I said as I began walking down the hallways.

My sisters followed as I continued to think about the red capped chipmunk.

The walk home was pretty quiet, except for Eleanor, who was on her cell phone talking to Theodore about her day at school. Jeanette was her usual calm self. She read a book Simon had lent her while my thoughts continued to jump around in my head. Once my sisters and I made it to the house, I quickly opened the door and walked inside. I dropped my back pack by the door and began walking up the stairs to my bedroom. I really needed my space.

"Brittany?" Jeanette called.

I let out a small sigh as I turned on my heels to face my little sister. I looked at her face closely. She looked a little concerned.

"Yeah?" I asked her.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I arched an eyebrow, confused from my sister's question.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered. "Why do you ask?"

Jeanette looked away from me shyly. I smiled a little from her action. It was typical for Jeanette to do that whenever she felt uncomfortable talking to people.

"Well," she began as she looked back up at me. "You didn't talk at all on the way home, and it's just not like you. You're not getting sick are you?"

I giggled slightly from my sister's comment about being sick.

"No, I'm just a little tired," I assured her. "I'm just going to rest for a little while."

"Oh, well, okay," she said shyly with a small smile on her lips.

"Let me know when dinner's ready."

"Okay, I will."

I smiled tenderly at my little sister as I turned around and continued climbing up the stairs. I walked down the hallway and entered my light pink colored bedroom, closing the door behind me. After slipping off my pink heels, I made my way over to my pink bed, where I collapsed onto my back. I stared at the ceiling for what seemed like forever as a memory came back to my mind.

**Flashback…**

"_Give it up, Alvin!" I shouted. "You know I'm going to win!"_

_The sun shined brightly down onto the neighborhood as I rollerbladed down the sidewalk. I was twelve at the time, and on that warm summer day, Alvin and I decided to have a little contest to see who the fastest roller skater was. So far, it was me._

_Suddenly, out of nowhere, Alvin came up right beside me. How did he catch up to me so fast?_

"_Not a chance, Brittany!" he yelled in my ear._

_Before I could even blink, Alvin was right in front of me. There was no way I was letting him beat me, so I began pushing my skates faster forward. I could see myself catching up to Alvin again. With one more push of my skates, I could pass him. Then, all of a sudden, I felt my left skate get caught on a small rock on the sidewalk. My balance immediately became uneven, and before I knew it, I was falling to the ground, screaming loudly as I did so. _

_Once I made contact to the ground, my body slid slightly, and the feeling of tearing skin sent a sharp, unbearable pain down my right leg. As I attempted to stand up, the pain became worse. There was no way I was going to be able to walk at that moment, and I could feel tears form on the bridges of my eyes._

"_Brittany!" I heard an anxious voice call out._

_I listened as the sound of roller blades came closer towards me. Before I could even look up, Alvin was crouched down next to me._

"_Brittany, are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked concerned._

"_My leg," I informed him._

_Alvin turned me over on my left side to look over my leg and pain continued to course through it as he did so. When I looked down at my leg, there was a huge, long scrape to ran from my ankle to just below my knee cap._

"_Wow, that is one bad skid mark," Alvin said worriedly as he took off his skates and through them to the side. "Come on. Let me take you to my house."_

_Before I could even protest, Alvin had swept my off my feet and into his arms. He thinks he's some sort of prince charming or something._

"_Alvin, you can't carry me," I said forcefully. "What about your skates?"_

"_They're not important right now," he answered. "Besides, I _can_ carry you. You are as light as a feather."_

_I don't know why, but I suddenly felt my cheeks begin to burn from Alvin's comment. I probably turned as red as Alvin's t-shirt. I hope he didn't notice. I never noticed how warm Alvin's chest was, and I decided to snuggle closer to it. With my ear against his chest, I could hear his steady heart beat, and I didn't understand why this beat was suddenly music to my ears._

_By the time I opened my eyes, we were already at his house. Alvin took me into the garage, placed me gently on the ground, and took off my skates._

"_I'm going to get a first aid kit," he said to me. "I'll be right back."_

_I watched as he quickly left the garage and headed into his house. Something was truly puzzling about Alvin's behavior. For as long as I have known him, he's never shown this kind of concern towards anyone in his life. To me, he was just the kind of person who thought only about himself. Now, I didn't know what to think._

_After a minute, Alvin came back into the garage with a first aid kit in hand as well as a wet wash cloth. He crouched down next to me and began cleaning my scrape. It didn't hurt terribly, but the warm water made it feel uncomfortable. Then, he opened the first aid kit and pulled out a can of disinfectant spray and some gauze._

"_This may sting," he warned as he picked up the disinfectant._

_As he began to spray my wound, the sting was absolutely treacherous. I gasped sharply from the pain._

"_I warned you," Alvin stated as he took the gauze in his hand._

_Then, he began to wrap my leg. Alvin's behavior was still a little questionable to me and I couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of motive behind his actions._

"_Alvin?" I began._

_Alvin looked up from my leg. I guess that meant he was listening._

"_Why are you doing this?" I asked simply._

_I watched as his eyebrow arched slightly._

"_What do you mean?" he asked with confusion in his tone._

"_Well," I started. "It's just that for as long as we've been friends, you've never done something like this for me. So why are you now?"_

_Alvin didn't answer immediately. He just looked back at my leg and finished wrapping the gauze around my leg. Once he was done and placed a piece of surgical tape at the end of the gauze, he looked back up at me._

"_Brittany, just because I like attention doesn't mean I don't care," he stated sincerely. "I know I can be a little self-centered at times and I may drive you crazy, but you're my best friend, Britt. I will always be there for you if you need me. Besides, if anything happened to you…"_

_He didn't finish his statement, but I had a feeling in my gut on what he was going to say. So, there really was a heart of gold in Alvin Seville after all. I never thought I would see the day. I gave him a small smile._

"_Thank you," I said to him._

_He returned my smile as he gently took my hand in his. His touch was suddenly electric, and I felt a shudder go down my spine. What was happening to me?_

"_You're welcome," he answered._

_I stared into those blue eyes for I don't know how long, but all of a sudden, a feeling came over me. I don't know what it was or how it got there, but the feeling was there. Was this what it felt like to care about someone? Or to love someone? Love? Was that what this feeling was? Was I in love with Alvin Seville?_

_Before I could debate on the feeling, Alvin carefully set me on my feet with one of his hands around my waist and my arm around his shoulders._

"_Come on," he said. "I think Theodore made some snacks in the kitchen."_

_I didn't argue with him as we made our way into his house. All I could focus on was my new possible feelings towards Alvin._

**Flashback Ends…**

That was the day I realized I felt something for Alvin Seville. I still didn't know if it was love, and I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. Now, here I am, lying on my bed wishing he were here with me. God, how pathetic was that? After all, he doesn't care. He never cared. He would never be there for me like he said he would.

I turned around on my side to look at a picture I had on my dresser. It was Alvin and me at our 8th grade dance. Alvin had his arm around my shoulders while I had my arm around his waist. I wore a bright pink silk dress, and he wore a black suit and tie. Wow, he looked so cute. I sighed as I turned back to lie on my back.

There's no way I could talk to him anymore. No matter how hard I tried, he would never listen. The way I see it, there's only one thing left for me to do. I need to forget about Alvin completely and move on. It's for the best.


	2. Missing Her

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Thank you guys for the great reviews! I'm glad you like the story! Enjoy chapter two!**

**Chapter Two: Missing Her**

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

Once I made it out the front doors of the school, I began making my way home with a large group of girls following me _again. _It was always the same girls, too. Every single day after my history class, they would line up at my teacher's door, and then practically jump all over me, giggling and complimenting me on whatever I was wearing or about how awesome my last concert was. The first couple of times they did it were fine. I've always liked the company of my fans. After all, what guy doesn't love having a bunch of girls all over him? Now, it was really driving me crazy. I mean, don't these chicks ever get tired of harassing rock stars? Simple answer, apparently not.

What I hated about these girls was their "leader," as I like to call her, Natalie Goldstein, who was currently walking beside me, still attached to my arm. Out of all them, she was the one who was constantly all over me, literally. She always grabs my arm and touches my face, and I think it's pretty obvious what she wants from me. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't going to give it to her. I knew about her reputation, and she was _not _the type of girl I wanted to be with. I prefer to stay away from slutty chicks.

In fact, none of the girls I was surrounded by interested me at all. Sure I liked to flirt with them, but they all never truly cared about me. All they cared about was the fact that I was famous. What was the point in dating someone who didn't even know you, or like you? None was the correct answer.

When the girls began giggling again, I blocked them out, and started to think about my past relationships. Sure, some of the girls I've dated were great, but others, well, they were either sluts who cheated on me, or they were gold diggers out for the fame and fortune. I have had so many bad relationships in the past. I'm starting to think that I won't find that special girl.

Suddenly, _she _popped up into my mind. The girl who was always there for me, who supported me no matter how crazy my schemes were, who didn't care that I was famous or rich, who saw the real me every time we were together, and who has been my best friend since the first day we met.

Brittany. I haven't seen her or talked to her since I went solo. She was the only girl I haven't talked to, and I didn't understand why, but that truly bothered me. We've always been so close, or at least we were. I didn't even know whether we were still friends or not. Man, why am I thinking about her so much?

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of my house. Thank the Lord. Now I can get away from these crazy bitches. Putting on my best rocker face, I turned to look at all the girls, giving them a slight smirk.

"Alright, ladies," I said smoothly. "Looks like this is where it ends."

"Aww," all the girls sighed disappointingly.

"Do you have to go, Alvin?" a whining nasally voice asked.

I cringed at the leader's ear wrenching voice. God, how could anyone stand to listen to that on a daily basis? I looked down to see Natalie still holding my arm tightly. I gave her a fake smile as I answered her.

"Sorry, babe," I said, holding back the vomit I could feel coming up my throat from having to call this slut a babe. "Rockers got to do homework, too."

My comment sent another round of giggles throughout the group as Natalie let go of my arm. Damn, what could I say that didn't make these chicks laugh like hyenas? I began making my way up to my porch.

"I'll see all of you tomorrow," I said.

"Bye, Alvin," the girls screamed loudly.

Once I made it to the porch, I quickly opened the door and walked inside. I dropped my back pack and jacket on the floor, closed the door with my back and slid down to the floor, my sneakers squeaking as I did so. I sighed in frustration. Damn, it's funny how the one thing I liked the most turned out to be my worst nightmare. These chicks were truly pushing me over my limit. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming into the hallway. I looked up to see my dad, Dave, standing over me.

"Rough day, Alvin?" he asked, a hint of interest in his voice.

I chuckled at his question. I knew he was going to say that. After all, he asked me that same question every day since my first solo concert.

"Words can never describe my day, Dave," I answered as I stood up. "I swear, those girls get crazier and crazier after every concert."

"Well, that's the price for going solo," he said.

"Yeah, I guess so."

I slowly began walking towards the stairs.

"I think I'm going to go rest for awhile," I said.

"Okay," Dave said. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"Alright, thanks Dave," I said as I made my way up the stairs.

As I walked down the hallway, I glanced into Theodore's bedroom. He was lying on his bed talking to none other than Eleanor about some kind of recipe he had found on the internet. I couldn't help but smile as I picked up a few words from his conversation. I thought it was great my little brother had a girlfriend. If he was happy, then I was happy.

I continued walking down the hallway, and I looked into Simon's room to see him doing homework. No surprise on that one. He always did his homework first, unlike me who prefers to wait until the last minute. It still amazed me how much he _liked_ school. I never thought it was humanly possible to work as hard as he does. Though I would never admit it, I was truly proud of him.

I went inside my bedroom, closing the door behind me, and made my way over to my red colored bed. I collapsed onto my back and laid there for a few moments. As I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts brought me back to Brittany. I couldn't help but think about her. Every day when I got home from school, sometimes even from a concert, she would always be on my mind. I didn't understand why, but she was. Did I feel guilty for not speaking to her anymore? I wasn't sure exactly, and not knowing really drove me off the walls.

As my thoughts continued to bring me back to the auburn haired chipette, I slipped my hand under my pillow and pulled out a picture. I looked at it closely and smiled. It was a picture of me and Brittany at our 8th grade dance. God, she looked so beautiful in that light pink silk dress. I think that was the night I saw something I had never seen before. It was something that she only showed me. As I stared at the picture, the memory of that night came to me.

**Flashback…**

_I walked through the crowd slowly after a long dance with yet another crazed fan. I made my way towards the tables that were set up near the back of the gym. Taking a seat, I wiped the sweat off my forehead._

_Man, I thought dances were supposed to be fun. Unfortunately, this dance turned out to be a bust, at least for me. All I had done so far was dance with a bunch of girls, which gave me no time for my friends. These chicks just never stopped. It was flattering at first, but now, it was just ridiculous._

_I looked out towards the dance floor and saw my brothers dancing with the chipettes. Watching them, I started to chuckle. I knew Theodore liked Eleanor and Simon liked Jeanette. They were just too shy to admit their feelings for them, but I knew one day they would tell them._

_I continued to look through the crowd, and then, I realized something. There was something missing on the dance floor, or at least someone. I turned my head in all different directions, but there was no sign of the auburn haired chipette. _

_Where's Brittany? She should be out here with _him.

_I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as I thought about Brittany's dumb ass boyfriend. He never treated her right, yet Brittany always denied it. The guy truly pissed me off, and all I could hope for was that one day, Brittany would see the light and dump his sorry ass._

_Worried, I stood up and began searching for her. I turned my head again, but there was still no sign of her. Now, I was really starting to get anxious. As I looked around, I saw one of Brittany's friends, Kayla or Katelyn or something like that. I wasn't sure of her name. I walked over to her and tapped her on the shoulder._

"_Hey K," I decided to call her. "Have you seen Brittany?"_

"_Not lately," she answered. "Last I saw her, she was standing over there talking to her boyfriend about something."_

_I gritted my teeth at the mention of Brittany's boyfriend. I really hated the son of a bitch, and I knew he didn't deserve to be with Brittany._

"_Where did you say you saw them?" I asked K._

"_Over there," she said as she pointed a finger near the gym's exit doors._

"_Thanks."_

_I began walking through the crowd as quickly as I could. A bunch of girls tried to pull me in for a dance but I just gently pushed them aside, causing each of the girls to pout. I had more important things to worry about than pleasing a bunch of crazy bitches._

_Once I exited the gym, I began my search for Brittany again. I walked down the hallway and looked in every direction. Where could she be?_

_After reaching the main office a few minutes later, I decided to give up. After all, maybe she just left early. As I began making my way back to the gym, I heard the sound of faint sobs coming from around the corner. I turned the corner to see my best friend Brittany sitting on a bench crying in her hands. Oh, damn. What did that bastard do to her?_

_I slowly walked over and sat beside her as she continued to cry. Seeing her like that truly broke my heart. That dumb ass was really going to pay for whatever he did._

"_Brittany," I said softly._

_She jumped a little when she lifted her head from her hands. She looked at me for a moment with a look of surprise on her face. Her eye liner was smeared slightly, and hair fell out of her French bun. I watched as she wiped away the tears and make-up off her cheeks._

"_Oh, hi, Alvin," she sniffled. "I thought you would be at the dance."_

"_Well, I was," I said. "But then, I realized you were gone, so I came looking for you."_

_Brittany didn't say anything. All she did was look down at her hands in her lap. I could see her bottom lip quiver as she took in a deep breath._

"_What's wrong, Britt?" I asked her worriedly._

"_Nothing," she answered as she shook her head from side to side._

_Saying "nothing" was complete bull crap. I knew something was wrong, and I wasn't going to leave until I found out what it was._

"_Come on, Britt," I said. "Don't give me that bull. I know something's bothering you. Just tell me what it is."_

_Brittany sighed deeply as she looked back up at me. Fresh tears began to fall down her cheeks._

"_Danny cheated on me," she sobbed._

_Upon hearing this news, I clenched my hands tightly into fists. Why that son of a bitch! I could just kill him right now! How could he do something like that to Brittany? How could he hurt her? Why did I let this happen? I knew I should have protected her. Why didn't I?_

_As I took in a deep breath to calm my anger, I looked over at Brittany to see her head in her hands again. God, I really hated seeing her like this. She looked so vulnerable and depressed. I never thought I would see Brittany Miller, the girl who never cried, show her feelings like this. It both fascinated me and scared me at the same time._

"_You were right," Brittany said through her hands._

_That comment was truly a shock to me. I never expected Brittany to admit I was right about anything. Usually, she just tried to prove me wrong, but in this situation, I guess she figured she couldn't._

"_I should have listened to you," she continued as she lifted her head from her hands. "I knew he wasn't a great guy, but my own stubbornness wouldn't let me admit it. Now look at me. I'm sitting on a bench, crying my eyes out on what's supposed to be the best night of my life. Pathetic, isn't it?"_

_Though I liked hearing her say I was right, I never thought she would have to say it because of that jackass. I never wanted to be right about anything like this, and I began to feel a sharp pain in my chest. I guess I felt guilty._

"_Brittany, you're not pathetic," I said. "He used you, and you have every right to be upset right now."_

"_But," she began, but I cut her off before she could say anything else._

"_No buts, Brittany. He never deserved you. He doesn't deserve to be with a smart, caring, and beautiful girl like you. You can do so much better, and for all I care, he can go to hell."_

_I watched her eyes grow wide, and I realized what I had just said. Man, did I just say all of that out loud? Why did I do that? Man, I hope I didn't say anything rash._

"_Do you really mean that, Alvin?" she asked._

_I hesitated for a moment but decided to answer her question honestly._

"_Yes, Britt. I do."_

_I watched as a smile formed on the corners of her face, and I suddenly felt pressure build up inside of my chest. It wasn't the pain of guilt I felt earlier. The pressure felt almost nice. God, what a beautiful smile. Wait, did I just think that? _

_Before I could debate on that thought, Brittany leaned in close to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I felt a wave of electricity course through my body as she tightened her grip. Out of an impulse, I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. I could smell the cherry blossom shampoo in her hair as she rested her head on my chest. Damn, she smelled so good._

"_Thank you," I heard her say. "You truly are my best friend, even though you are a little conceited."_

_I smiled and chuckled as I whispered, "I'll always be there for you, Britt. Never forget that."_

_We stayed like that for a few more moments, but to me, it seemed like a lifetime. I was a little upset as she let go of my waist and sat up on the bench. I could still feel her warmth on my body._

"_Look at me," she stated as she tried to fix her bun. "I'm a mess."_

_I chuckled softly. She was so self conscious when she really didn't need to be. After all, she was already beautiful. Oh man, I did it again. I must have some kind of problem. Why am I thinking like this? She must have heard me chuckle because she turned around and smacked me on the shoulder._

"_Don't laugh at me," she said slightly angry._

"_I'm not," I said. "You look fine."_

_A smile came back to her face as she cleared her cheeks of the make-up that had smeared. I felt the pressure in my chest come back to me again._

"_Do you want to go back to the dance?" I asked her._

"_I don't know," she said cautiously. "What if I run into Danny?"_

"_Then, I'll protect you."_

_Another smile came to her face, and more pressure built inside me._

"_Well, okay," she finally said._

_I smiled at her as I took her hand, feeling the same electricity that I felt during our hug. This feeling really confused me. I've never felt like this around Brittany before. Why was I feeling it now? What was this feeling anyway? I mean, it couldn't be love. Could it?_

_We stood up from the bench and made our way down the hallway and back to the gym, holding hands the whole way. The rest of the night turned out better than I thought it would. I didn't know exactly why, but being with Brittany somehow made it fun. In the end, I'm glad I found Brittany. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the best night of my life._

**Flashback Ends…**

That's when I realized that Brittany Miller was different. Though she could be stubborn, full of herself and easily angered, she was also the most caring person I've ever met. She never cared about how rich I was or how famous I was. All she saw was me, and that's what I loved about her. Huh? Did I just say love? No, I couldn't be in love with her. Could I?

I shook my head as I placed the picture back under my pillow, trying to get Brittany off my mind. I wasn't very successful as I thought about what a lousy person I'd been to her. I told her I would be there for her, but I haven't talked to her in so long. I doubt she even believes that anymore. I blew it. I really and truly blew it.

I looked up at the ceiling, and a feeling of guilt came through me. I knew I shouldn't have ignored Brittany, but what could I do? Those girls are like a pack of ravenous wolves, and I was their prey. I never had a chance to be near her, let alone talk to her.

At that moment, I knew I had to make things right again. One way or another, I would talk to Brittany again. I just hoped it wasn't too late.

I sat up in my bed, took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Brittany's number. I listened intently as each ring passed by. Then, I heard the sweetest voice I had ever heard in my life. The one I had been missing since the day I went solo.

"Hey, this is Brittany," I heard the voicemail say. "I can't come to my phone right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you."

I could only hope she would get back to me as the tone sounded in my ear.

"Um, hey, Britt," I said. "It's Alvin, in case you didn't know. So, um, listen, I know it's strange that I'm calling, seeing as I haven't talked to you in so long, but…"

I paused for a moment before going on.

"I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and I was wondering if maybe we could hang out tomorrow? Maybe at the park? Um, so, yeah, um, I guess I'll talk to you later. Um, bye Britt."

I closed my phone and groaned as I lay back down on my bed. Who was I kidding? She won't want to talk to me. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't call back.

I closed my eyes as my thoughts continued to bring me back to Brittany. I miss her so much, and I didn't understand why.


	3. Confusion and Realization

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Thanks again for the reviews! They are much appreciated! Well, on with the story!**

**Chapter Three: Confusion and Realization**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

As I continued to lie on my bed, I decided to close my eyes and take a short nap. My nap didn't last very long because I kept thinking about Alvin. When I closed my eyes all I could see was his face, his gorgeous, perfect face with slightly round cheeks and adorable blue eyes. At that moment, I opened my eyes and shook my head, trying to get rid of his image.

God, what the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn't I forget about him? He was just a boy, and a stupid boy at that. He was never there for me anymore, so why should I have to be there for him. It just wasn't worth it anymore. He wasn't worth all of this crap.

Suddenly, a vibration inside my jean pocket caused me to open my eyes. I sighed as I sat up in bed, reached into my pocket, and took out my cell phone. It continued to vibrate as I looked at the caller id. My breath caught in my throat when I recognized the number. Alvin.

What the hell? He's calling me? Why is he calling? He hasn't called in almost a year. Once my breathing came back, I huffed as I continued to look at the caller id. Well, whatever he wants, Alvin was none of my concern anymore. I'm going to forget about him, whether he wants me to or not.

With that thought in mind, I threw my phone down on the bed and let it ring. It vibrated a few more times before the screen on my phone indicated I had a missed call. I knew it was a good thing I didn't answer the phone. That way, it would make it easier to forget about him. Yet, a part of me couldn't help but feel as if I should have answered him. I wanted to hear his voice again, just one more time.

I placed my head in my hands. I seriously needed to get help. Alvin was gone, and there was nothing I could do to bring him back. So, what was the point in hoping? Easy answer, there wasn't.

When I looked back at my phone, something on the screen caught my eye. I grabbed it and looked closely at the front screen. Shock ran through me when I realized I had a voicemail. I opened my phone and double checked, and sure enough, my main screen indicated I had a voicemail from Alvin. I stared at the screen for I don't know how long. I just couldn't believe my eyes.

Alvin left me a voicemail? Why would he do that? He didn't care about me. Did he?

I bit my lower lip as I continued to stare at the screen. I didn't know whether to listen to the message or just delete it completely. My mind told me to delete it and forget that he ever called, while my heart told me to listen to it. At that moment, both my chest and head hurt.

Finally, after a minute of debating, I pressed the speed dial for my voicemail inbox. The answering machine voice picked up and I entered in my password. The voice said I had one new message. Then, a new voice started to play, the gentle, lyrical voice I remembered and missed.

"Um, hey, Britt, it's Alvin, in case you didn't know."

He's calling me Britt? I haven't heard that nick name in a while. Not even my girlfriends called me that. I listened intently as the message went on.

"So, um, listen, I know it's strange that I'm calling, seeing as I haven't talked to you in so long, but…"

There was a small pause.

"I've been thinking about you a lot lately, and I was wondering if maybe we could hang out tomorrow? Maybe at the park? Um, so, yeah, um, I guess I'll talk to you later. Um, bye Britt."

The message ended, but I couldn't take the phone away from my ear. Alvin's message was a complete and total shock.

He's been thinking of me? He wants to hang out? He would talk to me later?

I pressed replay and listened to the message again. When the second time was over, I still couldn't believe it. I continued to hit replay and tried to take in Alvin's words. I must have listened to that message about thirty times, but nothing he was saying was making sense to me. All this time, he pretended like I didn't know I existed. Now, he wanted me to talk to him. Did he just want me to forget like the past year didn't happen? I just didn't understand.

Suddenly, a knock came to my door along with a voice. I recognized it as Jeanette's.

"Brittany," she said through the door. "Miss Miller needs your help in the kitchen."

I sighed. Tonight was my night to help Miss Miller cook dinner, and I was really regretting it. It's not that I didn't want to help Miss Miller. I just didn't like to cook. That was more of Eleanor's area of expertise. Unfortunately, Miss Miller thought it would be a good idea if all her daughters helped out with the cooking no matter how bad it turned out.

"Okay, I'm coming," I said loud enough so Jeanette could hear me.

I listened as the sound of her footsteps began to disappear. After placing my phone on my bed, I quickly changed out of my school clothes and put on a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Once in some comfortable clothes, I made my way out of my room. Of course, I couldn't help but look back at my phone. This new revelation was truly puzzling, and now, I had to make a decision.

Call him or ignore him?

I walked out of my bedroom with that question continuously playing through my head.

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

As I lay on my bed, I tried to focus my mind on something other than Brittany. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I couldn't help but think whether I should have left her that message. What would she think of me if she heard it? She would probably ignore me. After the way I treated her, I wouldn't blame her.

Suddenly, a knock came to my door and then the sound of the door opening. I lifted my head from my bed to see my brother, Simon standing in my doorway.

"Hey," I greeted solemnly.

"Hey," he greeted back. "Do you mind if I use your computer for a minute?"

"What happened to yours?"

"I'm installing some updates, so my computer needs to stay shut down for a while. So, may I?"

With a wave of my hand, I gestured for Simon to go ahead. I watched as he walked over to my desk, sat down in the chair, and started surfing the web. I didn't really feel like asking what he was looking up, so I rested my head back on my bed and closed my eyes again.

An image of Brittany came to my mind, and I couldn't help but smile. Her auburn hair was so incredibly shiny, and her skin was so luminous. Her lips were perfectly round, and her eyes were an unbelievable shade of icy blue. God, she was beautiful, and the more I stared at her, the more I wanted her. This overwhelming feeling was starting to give me chills as Brittany's image stayed with me.

"Penny for your thoughts," I heard a voice say.

I swiftly opened my eyes, letting go of the incredible image, and lifted my head up. It must have been Simon who said that, seeing as he was the only other person in the room. He hadn't look away from the computer when he spoke.

"Huh?" I asked.

"What's on your mind?" Simon asked as he continued to web surf, not looking away from the computer. "I mean, it's been five minutes and you hadn't said a word to me, not even an insult."

Five minutes? How long was I daydreaming?

"Oh, um, well," I said nervously. "It's sort of complicated. I don't really want to talk about it."

When I said that, Simon looked away from the monitor to look at me. He had almost an expression of concern on his face.

"Are you sure?" he asked me. "I'm a good listener, you know, and I'm sure I can keep up."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Simon's thoughtfulness. Even though he hated me sometimes, we were still brothers, and no matter what, we would always be there for each other. After thinking about Simon's offer, I decided to tell him what I was thinking. After all, I needed to express my feelings to someone. I mean, if I kept it to myself any longer, I would most likely go insane.

With that thought in mind, I sat up in bed and took in a deep breath.

"Well, first," I began, "let me just say that going solo isn't all it's cracked up to be. I mean, have you seen those girls from school who keep following me? They're nuts, absolutely and completely nuts!"

I looked at my brother for a moment and realized he was smirking. Then, he began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" I asked him slightly annoyed.

"Nothing," he said as he continued to laugh. "I just never thought Mr. Heart-throb, Alvin Seville, would be sick of having girls fall all over him."

At that explanation, I couldn't help but laugh with Simon.

"I know, ironic, huh?" he asked as my laughing calmed down.

I took in another deep breath as I looked at Simon's face. From his still anxious expression, I could tell he knew that something else was still bothering me. I may be a good singer but not the best actor.

"Anything else on your mind?" he asked.

"Honestly, I don't know," I answered with a small shake of my head.

I watched as Simon's eyebrow arched slightly.

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

Instead of telling him straight forward about Brittany, I decided to ask him a question.

"How do you know when you're in love with someone?"

Simon's expression softened immediately after I asked that question. I watched as he got out of the desk chair and made his way towards my bed. He sat beside me and looked me straight in the eye.

"It's about Brittany, isn't it?" he asked me directly.

I leaned away from him in shock.

"How did you know?" I asked him.

"Whenever you take naps, I hear you say her name in your sleep," he explained.

I wanted to protest to Simon's claim, but instead, I let out a small sigh as I looked down at my hands in my lap.

"For some reason, I can't seem to get her out of my head," I said solemnly. "I mean, it's strange and it sort of scares me."

I looked back at my brother to see a tiny smile on his face. Then, he placed his hand on my shoulder.

"It's alright, bro," he said to me. "I know exactly how you feel."

"Jeanette?" I guessed with a small smirk on my face.

I could see Simon's whole face turn red when I mentioned Jeanette's name. He looked away from me and looked down at the floor.

"Well, yes," he said shyly. "I know you probably already know this, but I do love her."

I couldn't help but smile for my little brother's confession. It was nice to know that he had found someone he cared about a lot. In a way, I kind of envied him.

"When did you first find out you loved her?" I asked curiously.

"You really want to know?" he asked me as he looked back at me.

All I could do was nod as he looked down to the floor again and began to speak.

"It started when I began seeing little things in her that I never saw before. I noticed how shiny her hair was, how bright her eyes were, and how soft her skin was. Before I knew it, I started to think about her all the time, and sometimes, she would appear in my dreams. Every day, I would look forward to seeing her, and I knew I would do anything to make her smile. She has the most beautiful smile I've ever seen in my life."

I watched as my brother slumped down his shoulders and sighed deeply. I've always known how Simon felt about Jeanette. I just never knew he felt so deeply about it. That's when I realized that everything Simon felt for Jeanette, I was feeling the exact same way about Brittany.

Oh, my god. I'm in love with Brittany Miller. All this time, and all these years, I've been in love with her. I can't believe I never saw it before.

"Simon, I think I just solved my problem," I said simply.

Simon looked back at me and gave me a big smile.

"I knew you'd figure it out eventually," he said as he nudged the side of my arm. "Why don't you try talking to her again?"

"Well, I tried calling her earlier," I sighed, "but with the way I've been ignoring her, I don't think she'll want to talk to me again."

"Well, you never know. She may surprise you."

I chuckled a little at that.

"I guess I could always hope."

There was a moment of silence between us before I decided to poke a little fun at my younger brother.

"So, you think Jeanette has a beautiful smile?" I asked him as I nudged his side.

I could see his cheeks turn a deep shade of scarlet again. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"You won't tell Jeanette, will you?" he asked, his voice a little shaky.

"Nah, as long as you promise not to say a word to Brittany," I said.

"Are you going to tell her yourself?"

"Well, not right now," I admitted. "First, I need to get back on her good side. Otherwise, I don't think I'll have a chance."

"I could understand that. I'm thinking about telling Jeanette how I feel soon, but I don't know if she likes me the same way or not."

"I'm sure she does, Si."

"You really think so?"

I couldn't help but smile at my little brother as I grabbed him in a head lock and ruffled his hair.

"What's not to like?" I chuckled. "You may not have the charm or good looks, but you've got brains, and that counts."

Simon playfully but forcefully pushed me away and sarcastically said, "Ha ha, very funny."

Then, out of nowhere, Dave's voice came from down the stairs.

"Boys, dinner's ready!" he shouted.

Then, the sound of loud footsteps came down the hallway. I knew exactly who it was.

"Coming, Dave!" Theodore yelled excitedly as I watched him pass by my doorway.

As I turned to look back at Simon, I couldn't help but burst out in laughter. That was a typical Theodore moment. He was absolutely crazy over food. Soon, Simon began laughing with me, and I could feel small tears form on the bridges of my eyes.

"Priceless," I said as I calmed down and wiped a tear from my eye.

"That's Theodore for you," Simon said as he stood up. "Come on. Let's go eat."

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Simon smiled as he began to walk out of my room.

"Simon?" I said just as he made it to the doorway.

He turned around to look at me. I could see the curiosity on his face as I smiled at him.

"Thanks," I said sincerely.

I knew Simon could tell I meant it because he gave me a warm smile and said, "Anytime, bro."

Once my brother was out of the room, I looked over at my phone which I had placed on the bed minutes before Simon came in. I took it in my hands and stared at it for a long time. Now that I knew I was in love with Brittany, I truly hoped she would call me back soon or at least send me a text message. I knew I needed to tell her soon, but first, I needed her to be my friend again.

Please, Brittany. Call me back. I need to talk to you.


	4. Decisions, Decisions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey, guys! Thanks again for the reviews! They are much appreciated! Again, sorry I'm taking so long to update. School was hectic last week. For anyone following this story as well as my other story, The Squeakquel With A Twist, this is to let you guys know that I won't be updating for awhile. I'll be on vacation next week, and I won't have access to a computer. Anyway, next chapter coming at you!**

**Chapter Four: Decisions, Decisions**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

I looked down at my plate and started playing with my food with my fork. Dinner actually looked and smelled good tonight, considering I was the one who helped Miss Miller make it, and I was surprised I hadn't burned the food like I did last time. Though the food was edible, I wasn't really hungry. I couldn't help but think about the red capped chipmunk's message.

Over and over again, his words played in my head. He was actually thinking about me, and he wanted to start hanging out again. His words still didn't make sense to me. The whole time I've ever seen him, he was always with his fans enjoying the drooling stares he got from them. I gritted my teeth at the thought. God, I hated those bimbos.

Though his words didn't add up in my mind, I didn't doubt his words were sincere. The nervous edge in the tone of his voice made me believe he meant everything in his message. He wanted to see me again, but the question is did I want to see him?

Every fiber of my being said to stay away from Alvin Seville. He was nothing but a spoiled rock star who cared only about himself. I shouldn't have anything to do with him. I should just push him out of my life for good. I should completely forget about him and move on. I could hear the little voice in my head scream, "Good riddens."

Still, there was one part of me that never wanted to let go of him. My heart told me to start trusting him again. Though Alvin was selfish, he was still caring. Though he hasn't been there for me this past year, he was always there for me in the past. Every time I cried, he was always there to hold me. I shuddered as the memory of his warmth against my body and the smell of his skin came to my mind.

At that moment, I asked myself one question. What was I going to do now?

"Brittany?" a voice said from across the table.

I quickly jerked my head up to see Miss Miller staring at me with a slight look of annoyance on her face.

"Your sister asked you a question," she said.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry," I said apologetically as I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "What is it?"

"Could you pass the mashed potatoes?" Eleanor asked me.

"Sure."

I grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes and gave them to Eleanor. Once she took it from my hands, I looked down at my plate again and continued to fiddle with my food.

"Brittany?" said another voice.

This time, it wasn't Miss Miller. I recognized that timid voice anywhere.

I looked up at Jeanette and asked, "Huh?"

As Jeanette stared at me, I noticed her eyes seemed to give off a certain shine as if tears were forming not necessarily from sadness, but more from worry.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked as she continued to stare at me.

"Yes, I'm fine," I answered.

"Really?" Eleanor chimed in. "I mean, you seem a little distant tonight."

"Ellie, I'm fine," I said with an irritated tone of voice as I looked at her.

"Did something happen at school?" Jeanette asked.

"Did you fail another test?" Eleanor asked.

Suddenly, the room became filled with my sisters' constant questions. I place my hands over my ears trying to block their voices out, but it didn't work. The questions continued to come, and I could feel my anger increase as it pushed over my limit. Then, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Can't you two just shut the hell up and leave me alone?" I screamed to the top of my lungs.

The entire table leaned away from me. I could see the fright all over their faces, and in that instant, I regretted all the words that slipped out of my mouth. Damn it. What have I done? With my head down, I slowly stood up from the table.

"Miss Miller, may I be excused?" I asked softly.

"Of course, dear," I heard her say shakily.

With that said, I slowly made my way out of the dining room. Once I reached the stairs, I ran to my room and slammed the door behind me. I ran over to my bed and collapsed on top of it as warm tears began to fall down my face. God, I'm such a horrible person. How could I have said that to my little sisters? They were only trying to help, and I ended up scaring them half to death. What kind of big sister was I? Answer, a rotten one.

As I continued to cry on my bed, a soft knock came to my door along with an angelic voice.

"Brittany, dear," Miss Miller said from behind my door. "May I come in?"

I wanted to tell her to go away, but something kept me from saying that.

"Sure," I said instead with a wobbly voice.

As I sat up in bed and wiped the tears out of my eyes, the door slowly opened and Miss Miller walked in, closing the door behind her. She walked over and sat next to me on my bed. I couldn't bear to look at her face. She must have been so disappointed in the way I acted at the dinner table.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter?" Miss Miller asked quietly. "You were so quiet at dinner and then that sudden outburst you made at your sisters. It's just not like you."

I stayed quiet for a few moments, debating whether to tell Miss Miller about Alvin. The whole situation was still so confusing to me. I didn't know whether she would be able to understand my dilemma. In the end, I knew I had to tell somebody. Maybe she could help me.

"Miss Miller, I just don't know what to do," I began as I continued to stare at the floor. "You know Alvin and I have been the best of friends since elementary school, but ever since he went solo last year, he's changed. He started to ignore me and hang out with those crazy fans of his. You just don't know how badly it hurt me to watch my best friend completely push me out of his life like that."

I could feel the tears begin to form in my eyes again as I continued to tell Miss Miller about Alvin.

"Then today, out of nowhere, Alvin left me a message saying he wanted to hang out with me again and he missed me. I don't understand. Miss Miller, what do I do?"

When I looked up at Miss Miller, she had a blank expression on her wrinkled face. I guess she was really considering everything I told her. Then, a small smile formed at the corners of her lips.

"Dear, nothing is ever certain," she said, "but I have this feeling that Alvin didn't intentionally ignore you the way you say he did."

"How do you know?" I asked her curiously.

"When you two were growing up, I saw the way you two looked at each other. You both share a strong bond, and I know Alvin really cares for you, dear."

I listened carefully to my mother's words. For an old woman, she was quite observant. I guess I did stare at Alvin a lot when we were kids, and sure, maybe we did have a strong friendship, but did that mean I cared about him? Of course, I knew I could never hate him, but did I actually feel something more than friendship between us?

"Honey, Alvin obviously misses you," Miss Miller said as she tucked a piece of my loose hair behind my ear. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have called."

I looked away from Miss Miller. Somehow, everything she was telling me made sense. Alvin must have called me for a reason. If the call were a mistake, he would have never left me that message.

"Don't throw away years of friendship over something silly," Miss Miller continued. "Give him another chance."

After the sentence was finished, I felt Miss Miller stand up from my bed and heard her footsteps as she walked out of my room, closing the door as she left. I sat there for what seemed like an eternity. I knew Miss Miller was right, and I knew the battle between my head and my heart was over. The winner was clear as I looked over at the place where I had placed my phone.

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

I knew it was pointless to sit on my bed, stare at my phone, and wait for the auburn haired chipette to call, but I couldn't help it. I mean, I had to have a little faith that she would call back. After all, she wasn't completely heartless. She cared about people. Of course, I wasn't so sure how she felt about me. For all I knew, she hated me.

Who was I kidding? She wasn't going to call me. Not after the way I treated her. She deserves better, a lot better.

With a small sigh, I placed my phone down on my bed and began to exit my room. Then, suddenly, my favorite song began to play, and I immediately recognized it as my ringtone. I looked over to see my phone blinking as the song played on. I was getting a call.

Quickly, I walked back over to my bed and picked up my phone. I didn't even looked at the caller id as I opened my phone and brought it to my ear.

"Hello?" I answered hoping to hear the chipette's sweet voice.

"Um, hi, Alvin," said a shy, timid voice.

Oh, my god. It was her. It was Brittany. She called me back. I can't believe this. She actually called me back. Damn, her voice sounds so beautiful and sweet, just like milk chocolate. I didn't even realize how much I missed hearing it until the first word she spoke.

"Alvin? Are you there?" the charming voice questioned.

I quickly came back to reality as I shook my head lightly.

"Brittany? Is that you?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"Um, yeah, it's me," she answered again warily. "I, um, got your message."

I could feel the corners of my mouth turn up into a wide smile when she said that.

"I'm glad you called me back," I said honestly.

"Uh huh," Brittany nervously responded.

By her voice, I could tell something was bothering her, and my smile completely disappeared. I guess it was time to make the biggest apology in the history of apologies.

"Listen, Britt," I began, "I know it's strange that I called you, but there is something I need to say."

Silence passed between the lines, and I took this as my queue to go on.

"I just want to tell you how sorry I am. I'm sorry for ignoring you this past year. I'm sorry for never calling, texting, and heck, even writing to you. Most of all…"

I paused as I took in a shallow breath. This is what I felt the most sorry for.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," I continued. "I understand if you never want to talk to me again, but if you give me another chance, I promise, no I swear, that I will be right by your side no matter what. I truly miss you, Britt."

As I held the phone to my ear, I could hear faint sounds on the other end. Was Brittany Miller crying?

"Alvin, you have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that," she said between sobs.

"Really?" I asked as my smile came back.

"Yes," she continued. "All this time, I thought you never cared about me. I always thought your fans were more important."

"Britt, that's not true. I've always cared about you. You're my best friend, and no matter how much you may bug me, I'll always be there for you."

I could hear faint sniffles on the other end of the line.

"Thank you, Alvin," she said a little unsteadily.

"You're welcome, Britt," I responded whole heartedly.

A moment of silence passed between us.

"I missed this," I finally admitted.

"Missed what?" she asked.

"I missed talking to you."

Another silence came on the other end and I heard another round of sniffles.

"Me, too," I heard her say.

My smile grew wider when I heard her say that. Then, I remembered my recent revelation. I knew now that I loved Brittany, but was I ready to tell her the truth? I pondered on the thought for a moment before making a decision.

"Hey, Britt, do you want to hang out with me tomorrow?" I asked her. "We can catch up on things, and I'd love to hear how your solo career is going."

"Oh, um, sure," she said. "Where would you like to meet."

"At the park," I answered. "Let's meet by the big oak tree in the middle of the park. You know, near the park bench? We can meet around eleven tomorrow morning. Is that okay?"

"That sounds great," she said enthusiastically.

"Okay, well, I have to go eat dinner, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later then."

"Okay, bye Britt."

"Bye, Alvin."

I slowly hung up my phone as I recounted the last few minutes of what had just happened. Brittany had called me back, and now, we were hanging out tomorrow. I just can't believe she agreed to see me again. We're finally getting on the right track again. We're going to be friends again. This whole entire moment felt so unreal to me, especially when came to my decision.

Tomorrow, I'm going to tell Brittany Miller I love her. That I've always loved her, and no one is going to stop me.


	5. From Great Dream to Worst Nightmare Pt1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm still back and I'm still updating. Thank you guys for the reviews on the last chapter. Like always, your review are appreciated. Well, on with the story!**

**Chapter Five: From Great Dream To Worst Nightmare Pt. 1**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

_Where was I? I didn't recognize the scene in front of me. For some strange reason, everything was blurry and unfocused, but as I strained to see, the scene in front of me swiftly became clear. _

_I was in a room, a room that I had never seen before. The walls were painted a light shade of red, and there were no windows. The entire room seemed to be completely bare. There were no posters covering the walls, no dressers, not even a phone was in the room. What kind of person would have a room like this? I wasn't sure, but I didn't want to stay and find out._

_As I turned to leave, I saw that in the corner of the red room, there was a rather large red colored bed pushed up against the wall. I didn't understand why, but it seemed to be calling to me in some silent way. I could almost hear it say, "Come to me." I walked slowly over to the bed and gently grazed my fingertips against the sheets. The sheets were surprisingly soft against my skin, and I guessed they must have been silk. Whoever owned this room had interesting taste in bed spread._

"_Brittany," I heard a voice._

_I froze in that instant when I recognized the voice. It was the song-like voice I had known my whole life and missed terribly. It was the angelic voice that I would know anywhere, and at that moment, sent chills all the way down my spine. Oh, my God. It can't be._

_I turned around at a snail's pace and found myself looking into those deep-sea blue eyes that I knew so well. Alvin stood in the corner opposite of the bed wearing a tight plain white t-shirt that hugged is body in all the right places and a pair of dark blue jeans. Another chill went down my spine, and my breathing became shallow as I took in the chipmunk's appearance. He looked so…so…gorgeous. What the hell was going on?_

"_Brittany," he said again as he took a step towards me. "God, you look so incredible."_

_I didn't understand. What was he talking about? It wasn't until I looked down that I realized all I was wearing was a pink bra and a pink thong. I covered myself immediately, feeling embarrassed that Alvin had seen me in my lingerie. Where the hell were my clothes?_

"_Why are you hiding from me, baby?" Alvin asked with a little curiosity in his tone._

_His voice sounded strangely close, and when I looked back up, Alvin was standing right in front of me. He brought his arms up and gently took my arms in his hands. He slowly put them down by my sides, and I watched as his eyes looked me up and down drinking in my appearance._

"_You're so beautiful," he said huskily._

_I looked deep into his blue eyes and didn't see any fault in them. He had never said those words to me, and it was almost hard to believe._

"_I am?" I asked a little insecurely._

_Why was I acting so shy? Of course, I was beautiful. I knew that, and every single boy in school knew that much. For some reason, being with Alvin made me feel different, and in a way, not like myself. Nothing was making sense to me anymore._

_At that moment, I felt Alvin's arms coil around my waist and pull me closer to him. I wanted to resist his touch, but his arms felt so warm and strong against me. I could feel myself melting into him as I felt my entire body begin to shudder. He brought his head closer to mine, and his lips were soon next to my ear._

"_Yes," he whispered softly._

_His lips move down from my ear to the nape of my neck, and I could felt the warmth of his breath on my skin. The chills continued down my spine as he continued to hold me close and breathe on my neck. I felt my body heat increase higher and higher, and an overwhelming feeling of arousal came over me. What was happening to me?_

_Then, I felt something soft touch my neck. Alvin kissed my neck gently, and I felt his arms tighten around me as they began rubbing my back slowly. My eyes suddenly rolled back in my head. Oh, my God. That feels so good._

_Alvin's lips left my neck and began working their way to my own. When he pressed his lips against mine, my senses started going crazy. I continued to melt into him as I wrapped my arms around his neck. His lips were so soft against mine. I never wanted this feeling to end._

_I felt his tongue touch my lips, and I sighed and opened my mouth to let it enter me. His tongue rolled around with mine, and I lost all sense of self-control. God, he was such an amazing kisser._

_Then, I felt his hands move from my back down to my ass. He squeezed me softly as I sighed inside his mouth. He picked me up gently and slowly placed me, back first, down on the bed as he continued tasting the inside of my mouth. Oh, my God. I can't believe he's doing this to me. I feel so turned on. Oh, God._

_He pulled away from my lips, and I already missed the feeling of his tongue in my mouth. He looked deeply into my eyes as I tried to slow down my breathing._

"_I love you, Brittany," he said to me._

_Again I saw no trace of fault in his eyes. He was telling me the truth, and before I could even stop myself, I said, "I love you, too, Alvin."_

_I have never said those words to anyone before, but I knew when I said it to Alvin, I meant every single word. I loved Alvin Seville, and nothing was going to stop me from having him._

_I watched as the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile. Oh, I loved that smile. Then, his lips found mine again, and his tongue slowly traced my lips. Damn, he was so good. I felt one of his hands graze my arm, and my body temperature went through the roof. His hand reached up to my bra strap, and he slowly pulled it off my shoulder. I knew what was coming next, and I knew I wanted it just as much as he did…_

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!

I shot open my eyes and quickly sat up in bed. I looked around at my surroundings and realized I was in my own pink shaded room, sitting in my own pink shaded bed. My breathing was hard, and I felt a small drop of sweat roll down the side of my face. It was just a dream? It felt so real. Damn it.

I reached over to my dresser and turned off my alarm clock. Stupid alarm clock woke me up from the best dream of my life. I fell back onto my pillow and looked up at the ceiling. Instantly, the memories of last night's phone call came to my mind.

I was wrong about Alvin. He hadn't changed at all. He was still the caring boy who carried me and took care of me after I had scratched up my leg. He was still the sweet boy who held me close when that jackass Danny broke my heart. That phone call made me see the truth. Last night, I realized something.

I'm in love with Alvin Seville, and today, at the park, I'm going to tell him how I feel.

I looked over to look at my alarm clock. It was five minutes after nine o'clock. If I don't get out of bed now, I'll never make it to the park on time. Knowing I would need a lot of time to get ready, I pushed my pink colored sheets aside and slowly got out of bed.

An hour and a half later, I was looking at myself in my life-sized mirror, finishing the final touches of my make-up. I quickly brushed my cheeks with a little blush and then, looked in the mirror to appraise my appearance.

I decided to wear a short-sleeved bright red polo shirt and a pair of demin shorts that reached just above my mid-thigh. My hair was done in curls with my front pieces pulled back by some bobby pins.

I smiled, satisfied with my appearance. Alvin will definitely like that I'm wearing his favorite color. He won't be able to resist. I wouldn't have it any other way. After one last look in the mirror, I placed some nice sandals on my feet, grabbed my purse from my bedpost, and made my way down stairs.

Upon entering the kitchen, Miss Miller and my sisters were all sitting at the table, eating scrambled eggs and bacon. Everything smelled so good, but I knew I didn't have time to eat any of it. I only had twenty minutes to get to the park. I passed by my family, hoping they wouldn't start talking to me. Unfortunately, there was no such luck.

"Good morning, Brittany," Miss Miller smiled. "Come and sit down, dear. I made a big breakfast."

"Um, sorry Miss Miller," I said as I turned around to look at my family. "I can't. I, um, have plans today."

"Would they be with Alvin by chance?" she asked curiously.

Damn. For an old woman, she was a good guesser.

"Well, sort of," I answered honestly, walking over to the cabinet.

"Really?" Eleanor asked, her mouth full of eggs. "You guys haven't talked in ages."

"Yeah, I thought you guys hated each other," Jeanette concurred.

"Well, not exactly," I explained as I grabbed a pop-tart from the cabinet. "It was just a misunderstanding. I can't really explain right now. I have to go. I'm meeting Alvin at the park."

"Well, alright, dear, have fun," Miss Miller said before going back to her breakfast.

With my pop-tart in hand, I made my way out of the kitchen.

"I'll be back later," I called as I opened the front door and exited the house.

Within ten minutes, I made it to the park. The sun was shining brightly and I watched as two butterflies flew past me continuing on with their journey. Everything about today seemed absolutely beautiful, and with every step I took, I began to feel excited and nervous all at the same time. I could feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach at the thought of seeing Alvin again. I hope he feels the same way about me as I do about him.

Before I knew it, I could see the place where I was supposed to meet Alvin. The oak tree was full of fresh green leaves, and I could see someone sitting in the park bench. As I got closer however, I realized there wasn't just one person sitting in the park bench. There were two people in the park bench. One was sitting on top of the other, and the pair appeared to be kissing. Romance must have been in the air. Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks. I recognized who those people were, and the butterflies in my stomach were replaced with sharp knives.

I watched as Alvin, the guy I thought I was in love with, kissed the queen of all the sluts, Natalie Goldstein. The knives continued to stab my stomach, and I could feel them making their way towards my chest. I fell to my knees as I watched them make out. The knives ripped through my chest, stabbing my heart as well. Warm tears streamed down my face, and there was only one thing I knew for sure.

Alvin Seville was a liar, and I never wanted to see him again. Slowly getting back on my feet, I knew I had to leave. I needed to be as far away from the slut and that son of a bitch as possible before either one of them saw me. Once I found my footing, I ran as fast as I could, feeling betrayed and completely and utterly hurt.

I hate you, Alvin Seville, and this time…I mean it.


	6. From Great Dream to Worst Nightmare Pt2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey everyone. I'm sorry for the delay on this story. As some of you know, I recently wrote a one shot you all voted for me to write. I didn't intend on writing it so early, but I was struck by some inspiration. Anyway, thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. Also, since I wrote two chapters for my other story, **_**The Squeakquel With A Twist**_**, I will also write two chapters for this story. Chapter Seven will be put on hold for about a week because I will be on vacation this upcoming week, but I promise it will be published. For now, enjoy the next chapter!**

**Chapter Six: From Great Dream To Worst Nightmare Pt. 2**

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

_What the hell? What was I doing here? I didn't understand where I was, and everything was so dark. I blinked my eyes a few times in an attempt to adjust them to the scene around me, but they never did. A cold shiver went down my back making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This wasn't your average darkness, and I prayed that I hadn't gone blind._

_Then, out of nowhere, a flashing, white light appeared in the distance almost like a bright star in the dark abyss of outer space. I also heard something, a voice calling out from the light._

"_Alvin," I heard the voice say._

_Whoa, that's a little scary. It was so light, soft, and feminine. It sounded just like an angel. Why did this voice sound so familiar? Where have I heard this voice before?_

_Without thinking, I began walking towards the light. As I walked closer to it, the light grew bigger and brighter. I used my arm to cover my eyes and protect them from truly going blind._

"_Alvin," the angelic voice continued to call._

_I was still puzzled by the voice. I knew I heard the voice somewhere, but for some reason, I just couldn't place a name on the person who the beautiful voice belonged to. Who was this person?_

_I continued walking towards the light with my arm over my eyes. The light was so blinding, I didn't know whether I could walk any closer to it. In a matter of seconds, I was standing right in front of the light. I didn't understand what I was supposed to do next. Why was I here?_

"_Come into the light," the voice commanded._

_What? Oh, God. Was this heaven? Did I die? What the hell was going on? I couldn't be dead. All I did last night was talk to Brittany and then go to bed. What could I have done to get myself killed? None of this was making any sense._

"_Come into the light," the voice said again. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you."_

_Sure, that's what you want me to think. How do I know I can trust you? You're just a voice. For all I know, you could be the voice inside my head. Great, not only was I probably dead, I was crazy too._

_I knew I didn't want to stick around this place anymore, so, turning on my heel, I began walking in the direction I came from. This was just too confusing and intense for me. So long, creepy voice, I'm out of here. _

_Out of the blue, before I could even take a step, there was a sudden burst of wind pushing me back towards the light. Oh, damn it! This can't be happening!_

_Using all my strength, I pushed against the wind trying to walk away from the white light. But, suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew, causing me to lose my footing and fall straight to the ground. The wind blew harder, pushing me into the light. Oh, God, no! Please, no! Don't do this!_

"_No!" I screamed grabbing anything I could to keep from being pulled in._

_Unfortunately, that did nothing to help me. Within minutes, the white light consumed me. I could feel my eyes dilate from the sudden exposure, and I quickly covered them with my hands. Damn it, I'm dead. I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm so dead!_

_I lay on the floor, keeping my eyes covered for minutes. However, it seemed more like hours. Well, I guess it's time to see what heaven looks like._

_Taking my hands away from my eyes, I was surprised to find myself not on a blanket of clouds with golden gates, but in a room, a room painted in the brightest shade of pink. Pink? Why is everything pink? Who would want a completely pink room?_

_I stood on my feet as I continued to look around the pink room. I hadn't even realized there was someone in the room with me._

"_Alvin," I heard the same voice say once again._

_The voice was very close, and in that instance, my entire body froze in place. I knew that voice. I can't believe I didn't recognize it before. It was the same voice I grew up with since I was a little kid. It was the voice I grew to know and could pick out from a whole group of people. It was the voice that always seemed to calm me down whenever I was angry and always made me happy whenever I heard it. It was the voice I loved to hear. Oh, my God. It was her. There was no doubt in my mind._

"_Brittany?" I asked turning around to the sound of the voice._

_I found the beautiful chipette sitting up in a large bed, with light pink sheets, that sat against the wall. My jaw dropped instantly when I saw what Brittany was wearing, a pink strapless bra and a pink thong. I took in everything about her appearance from her shiny, wavy, auburn colored hair and bright icy blue eyes to her succulent breasts and distinct curves. Dear God, she was so…so…breathtaking._

"_Oh, my God," I heard come out of my mouth._

_At that moment, Brittany stood up from the bed and walked over towards me. She took my hands in hers and gently guided me towards the bed. Stopping at the edge of the bed, she gazed into my eyes, and I felt my breath get caught in my throat._

_She took one of my hands and placed it on her hip. Then, she did the same thing with the other before wrapping her arms around my neck. What was she doing?_

_She looked at me again, and I looked down at her face and, again, admired her unbelievable beauty. Her skin was so tan, and it just seemed to glow radiantly. Her eyes were still shining like stars, and her lips were so pink and perfect. God, I really wanted to kiss them._

"_Kiss me," she whispered to me._

_Wow, it's like she's psychic. Doing what Brittany said, I leaned in and pressed my lips down against hers. They were so soft and luscious as I kissed her, and I let my hands travel up and down her sides until I reached her back and then her perfectly round ass. I squeezed her softly listening as a sigh escaped her lips. Damn, I loved this feeling, and I never wanted to stop._

_I felt her mouth open against my lips, and I knew exactly what she wanted. I slipped my tongue inside her mouth, and her sweet taste filled my mouth as well as her moans. Her tongue rolled with mine, and I could feel my self-control diminish quickly. Oh, God, I wanted her so badly._

_All of a sudden, Brittany broke away from my kiss. I already missed the feeling of her lips on mine. I looked at her, and there was an almost wild look her eyes. Was she thinking the same thing I was?_

_Then, she placed herself back onto the bed and laid flat on her back. I drank in her immaculate figure, and my felt my skin heat up like fire. She was so beautiful._

"_Love me," she whispered._

_Whoa, did she just say what I thought she said? I looked into her eyes carefully. I could see arousal in them, and I knew she wanted me just as much as I wanted her. I climbed into bed with her and lay on top of her. I smiled down at her, knowing I was about to tell her something I should have told her a long time ago._

"_I love you, Brittany," I whispered._

"_I love you, Alvin," she whispered back through her smile._

_Without another thought, I kissed her lips, letting my tongue into her mouth again. Another sigh came out of Brittany's mouth as I rolled my tongue against hers. _

_My hands rubbed all over her body sensually, and with every touch came another sigh from Brittany's lips. Soon, my lips began kissing her neck, making her moan from the touch._

"_Alvin," she moaned. "Alvin, Alvin, Alvin, Alvin."_

_Huh? What's happening? Every time Brittany said my name, her voice changed. Instead of the beautiful, soft voice I loved, her voice became deeper. She sounded almost masculine and…strangely familiar._

_I stopped kissing her neck and brought my head up to meet hers. However, what I saw was not what I was expecting to see. I was staring straight into the eyes of my brother Simon. Oh, God! What the hell? I kissed a guy!_

"_Alvin," Simon continued to say._

_I let out a scream of bloody murder…._

I shot up in bed quickly, screaming my head off as I did so. Sweat rolled down my face as I looked around and realized I was in my own room. A dream? It was all a dream? Damn, it felt so incredibly real. I loved everything about it. Well, at least until that last part happened. Why did that happen anyway?

"Alvin," I heard someone say.

I jumped at the sound of my name being called and looked over at my door. I could see the shadow of a pair of feet in the bottom crack of the door.

"Alvin, it's Simon, are you okay? I heard screaming."

That's when I realized why my dream ended the way it did. Oh, that must have been what happened to Brittany. Simon was calling me, and I guess his voice interrupted my dream to make Brittany look like Simon. Wow, that's really strange.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," I yelled loud enough for Simon to hear. "I just had a bad dream."

It was great until Simon came into the picture and ruined everything.

"Oh, well, Dave left to run some errands, and he decided to let you sleep in," Simon said. "He saved you a plate of eggs and bacon. It's on the kitchen table."

"Okay, I'll be down in a few."

With that said, I watched as the shadow in the crack disappeared in the other direction. I sighed heavily as I fell backwards onto my pillow, my mind consumed with thoughts of the dream I just had. I closed my eyes and tried to bring back the image of Brittany in her pink lingerie. Unfortunately, the only image that came up was the very last one I had. I shuddered as I remembered looking down at Simon's face. God, that was disgusting.

Eventually, my mind brought up Brittany's sweet and beautiful face. Her skin glowed against the shimmer of her blue eyes. Her auburn hair framed her face, which made her look even sexier than before. Man, what I wouldn't do to have her in my arms every single day.

Well, maybe after today, I could have her in my arms. After all, I was going to see her today, and I was finally going to tell her how I felt about her, how I've always felt about her. I loved her, and nothing was going to stop me from telling her. She had to know.

I looked over at my alarm clock to see it was ten o'clock on the dot. I guess I better get up and get ready before I ended up being late to the park. In a flash, I sat up in bed, got up, and headed over to my closet.

Within minutes, I was completely dressed. I decided on a plain white t-shirt and a pair of nice, baggy khaki shorts with flip-flops. It wasn't too dressy or too causal. It was just right for a day in the park with an amazing girl.

I took a quick glance in the mirror before walking over to the bedpost to grab my hat. With my cap in hand, I walked over to my desk and grabbed my wallet, my cell phone and keys and placed them into my side pocket.

I made a quick stop to the bathroom and swiftly brushed my teeth and combed my hair. Making my way down the hall and down the stairs, I placed my cap on top on my head. When I made it to the kitchen, I saw a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon wrapped in plastic wrap, obviously meant for me. Simon _did_ say Dave left me a plate.

After placing my plate in the microwave for one minute, I forced the entire plate of food into my mouth and chewed as best I could. Maybe I should have paced myself, but I knew I had no time to waste. Soon, I would be with her, and I wanted all the time with her I could get.

"Whoa, Alvin, where's the fire?" asked a voice from the kitchen doorway.

I turned my head as I continued chewing to see Simon staring at me. I almost gagged as I recalled my dream. Man, how foul could you get?

"I meeting Brittany at the park," I answered as little bits of food escaped my mouth.

"Okay, first of all, chew with your mouth closed," Simon said slightly disgusted. "Second, Brittany called back?"

"Yes, Mister Know-It-All," I said swallowing my food, "she did. Now, if you'll excuse me, my woman is calling me."

"Hmm, that's weird. The last time I checked, 'your woman' couldn't stand you," Simon smugly said.

"Ha ha, very funny," I said as I walked towards my brother, "but for your information. It was just a little misunderstanding, and I think after today, everything's going to turn out great."

"Whatever you say, Alvin."

"Gee, thanks for the support, bro," I said irritated, slapping my brother's back hard.

"Sorry, I'm just a little nervous," Simon coughed. "I'm about to call Jeanette and ask her out on a date."

"Dude, you're finally going to do it?" I asked excited, wrapping my arm around his shoulders and giving him a brotherly squeeze. "Wait a go, little bro."

"Don't be cheering just yet," Simon said lightly pushing me away, "I still need to ask her, remember?"

"You can do it, Si. I believe in you. Anyway, I better go. Don't want to be late for my date with my future girlfriend."

Walking out of the kitchen, I made my way towards the front door. Before I could twist the knob, I heard Simon say my name.

"Hey, Alvin," he called.

I turned my head to look at my brother, who had a huge smile on his face.

"Thanks," he said sincerely. "Now, go get your girl."

With a swift nod of my head, I opened the door and walked out of the house. I looked around the neighborhood and took in a deep breath of fresh air. Today's going to be a good day. I just know it.

It only took me a few minutes to get to the park and another couple of minutes to find the spot where Brittany and I were going to meet. Now, I was sitting on the park bench, waiting for the love of my life to make her appearance. I wonder what she'll be wearing today. How will she have her hair done? I really couldn't wait to see her.

I checked my cell phone to check the time. It was twenty minutes till eleven o'clock. Brittany would be here any minute. After placing my phone back in my side pocket, I lay my head back and closed my eyes.

"Hi, Alvin," I heard a nasally voice say.

I shot my eyes wide open. Oh, dear God. Not today, not here, not now. Please tell me it's not her, anyone but her. I slowly looked over to see Miss slutty Natalie Goldstein standing on the other side of the bench. Damn it. What the hell did she want?

"Natalie, hi," I greeted through my teeth. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just in the area, walking around," she said taking a seat on the opposite side of the bench, "and I just happened to see you sitting here all by yourself."

I watched as she started sliding closer to me. Damn, I really don't need this. As best I could, I slid as far away from her as I could.

"Really, well, I'm kind of waiting for someone, so if you don't mind…" I said.

Before I could finish my sentence, Natalie jumped onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. Holy crap, this chick is crazy!

"I know you want me, Alvin," she said, her eyes filled with hunger. "Now, I'm going to give you what you want."

Oh, damn, not good! Just as I was about to protest, Natalie place her glossed up lips on top of mine, and kissed me furiously. Oh, damn it! Why does this always happen to me? I wanted to push her off me, but she had tight grip on my neck. Man, for an insane bitch, she was strong as hell.

When my eyes drifted to the side, I saw someone standing only a few feet away from me. I looked like a girl, and she looked awfully familiar. I looked even closer at the figure. Oh, crap! No, it can't be! It was Brittany. I would recognize that face anywhere.

As Natalie kissed me, I watched Brittany fall to her knees, and then I saw her eyes turn red and puffy, with glistening tears streaming down her face. Oh, Jesus, she's watching us! Oh, damn, damn, damn, I have to get this crazy bitch off me!

With all my might, I began pushing Natalie off me as hard as I could. Man, she's holding on tight. When I looked back at Brittany, she was standing back up, and then, she took off running. Oh, crap, this is not good! That's it! This slut is coming off me!

Finally, pushing as hard as I could, Natalie released my neck and fell right down on the ground. I stood up from the park bench and began running in the direction Brittany took off in. Unfortunately, I had lost all sight of her. She was gone, and it was all _her _fault.

Rage filled every fiber of my being as I turned around to face the slut who had ruined my life. She was standing up from the ground and wiping away grass and dirt from her mini skirt. Screw being nice to this little hoe! Now, I'm going to give her a piece of my mind!

"Listen here, you little bitch!" I yelled as I walked over towards her. "You've gotten on my last nerve for the last time. Now, if you don't leave me alone from now on, I swear, I _will_ have you arrested for harassment and file a restraining order against you and your friends, too. Also, if you ever, ever, _ever_ hurt or talk to Brittany, you'll have to answer to me."

After giving that slut what she deserved, I began running out of the park. Only one thought raced through my mind. I had to find Brittany, and I had to find her fast.

This is just great. My perfect day is ruined. Brittany, where are you? I have to make you understand. You need to know…that I love you…and I mean it.


	7. Hello and Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Again, I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. I was on vacation last week without access to a computer. Anyway, vacations over, so here's the next chapter! Enjoy everyone, and also, keep a look out for an update on **_**The Squeakquel With A Twist**_**! On with the story!**

**Chapter Seven: Hello and Goodbye**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

Tears streamed down my face and my calve muscles burned like hell's fire as I ran down the streets of town, shoving different people out of my way with my arms. Every person I pushed yelled at me, grunted, or just completely ignored me. I didn't care about them, their needs, their problems, or their lives. At that moment, all I cared about was my world crumbling beneath me, making me feel as if I were falling into a deep and endless crevice.

There was only one thing knew for sure. All this pain I was feeling, all this anger building inside me, and all this regret for ever thinking change was possible; it was all because of _him_. That son of a bitch lied to me, making me _think_ he really cared about me, but he never did.

What was worse, he showed me he never cared by making out with _her_, the slut, the skank, and the whore. Of all the stupid girls he could have kissed, it had to be Natalie. What the hell is his problem? Did he _want _me to hate him for life? Answer, duh, of course he did.

After running for God knows how long, I slowed down to a walk and turned the corner onto the next street. I made it to a small outdoor café with white round tables spread out everywhere. No longer able to feel my legs, I decided to take a seat at one of the tables and lay my head down, my arms circling around to conceal my face.

More salty tears flowed from my eyes, down my cheeks, and onto the tabletop. The image of Alvin and Natalie lip locked kept coming back to my mind, causing another slash to cross my chest and my heart. God, how could he do this to me? Me? His so called best friend? That ass played me like a violin and then smashed me to pieces. I will never forgive him for what he did to me…never.

I jolted from the tabletop when I heard loud music begin to play. I recognized the music playing. It was my ringtone, which meant someone was calling me. Wiping tears from my cheeks, I reached into my purse, which was still slung over my shoulder and pulled out my cell phone.

When I looked at the caller ID, I glowered at the screen and slammed the phone down onto the table. Alvin, the lying ass, was calling me. Why the hell was he calling me? Was he calling to tell me he wouldn't be able to hang out because he was "busy"? Hell, that sounds like something he would do.

When the music finally stopped, I felt relieved, but when a message tone sounded off, I felt nervous. He couldn't have left me a message. There was just no way. However, when I picked my phone back up, there it was. The little icon on the screen was as clear as day. Alvin had left me a message, but hell if I was going to listen to it. I wasn't going to make the same mistake like last time. After all, look what _that _did to me.

After quickly deleting the message, I threw the phone back into my purse, set my purse on the ground, and assumed the position I was in earlier, with my head on the table and my arms circling my head. One thought raced through my head.

I had to forget about Alvin. I was going to forget about him if it was the last thing I do. Alvin Seville, consider yourself forgotten and out my life for good. Goodbye and good riddens.

"Ahem, excuse me," I heard from above me.

Oh, great. This is just what I need. Not only was my heart completely broken, but also, someone was going to see me in my worst moment ever. This is just…peachy.

Stalling as much as possible, I slowly lifted my head from the table and quickly used my hand to wipe the fresh tears from my face. When I looked up that the stranger who had spoken to me, my breath got caught in my throat for a split second.

Standing in front of me, a very cute guy with dark brown hair and dark skin grinned down at me. Well, this is just perfect. Of all to people to start talking to me, why did it have to be such a hunk?

"Um, I'm sorry," he began to speak, "but I couldn't help but notice you here. You seem…upset about something."

Knowing my voice was probably in bad shape, I cleared my throat before speaking.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked a little hoarse, wiping more tears from my face.

"A little," the boy said, taking the seat opposite of me.

"Well, it's nothing anyone can really help me with. I'm sorry. I must look a mess."

"No, no. It's all right. I don't mind. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Even though I didn't know who this boy was, he was somehow able to put a smile on my face.

"That's nice," I said kindly, "but I don't even know you."

"So?" he questioned. "That doesn't mean I'm not a good listener."

My smile grew wider when I heard him say that, and with a small sigh, I began telling him about my love problems. I told him how I was completely led on and completely dumped like last weeks trash. He didn't interrupt me once, only sat back in his seat and listened carefully to every word spoken.

When I finished speaking, we were both very quiet. I guess he was still absorbing my life story.

"Well, that's a crying shame," he finally said.

As the words slipped out of his out, I wasn't sure whether he was talking about me. After all, my story was pretty pathetic.

"I mean for this guy you're talking about," he continued. "In my opinion, it was his loss. He missed out on a very cool girl."

Those words really touched me, and my smile grew so big, my cheeks began to ache from smiling so much.

"I'm Colin by the way," he said as he stretched out his arm towards me.

I stared at his hand for a long time before I decided to take it in my own. His skin was really soft against my own, and instead of giving me a normal, every day handshake, he surprised me by kissing my hand gently. His lips were also very soft, and I felt a small chill go down my spine.

After kissing my hand, he looked up at me, and I noticed that his eyes were a deep chocolate brown color. I felt my cheeks burn as I stared into his eyes. Wow, he was so cute.

"It's nice to meet you…" Colin said.

"Oh, um, Brittany," I answered breaking out of the trance I was under.

"Brittany," he repeated. "That's a beautiful name, and you know what they say; A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Unable to control myself, a giggle escaped my lips as the blush in my cheeks turned darker. Wow, I never thought another guy could to this to me. The only guy who could ever make me giggle or blush was…_him_. Oh, why was I thinking about him? Forget him, forget him, forget him.

"Thank you," I said sincerely.

"You're welcome," Colin responded with a nod. "Even at a bad time, I know a pretty girl when I see one."

"Well, that's sweet of you. You know, I don't think I've seen you in town before."

"Oh, yeah. I just moved here, which means I'm new around this place."

I watched as the corners of his mouth stretch wider into a huge smile. His teeth were really radiant as the sun shined down on us.

"I was actually hoping someone could show me around," Colin continued. "Would you mind giving me a tour?"

"Me?" I asked surprised.

Colin's only response was a slow nod as he stood up from his seat. He walked over towards me and extended his hand.

"Yes, Miss Brittany," he chivalrously answered. "I would be honored if I were escorted by such a lovely lady."

In that instant, all I could do was stare at the handsome boy in front of me. There was something about him that I really liked, but for some reason, I just couldn't figure out what it was. Maybe it was the fact that he was someone other than _him_. Of course, any guy other than Alvin would have been great.

If there was one thing I knew, Colin was definitely the perfect solution to my problems. I needed to move on, and I believed Colin could help me do just that.

Without a second thought, I placed my hand into Colin's and stood from my seat, grabbing my purse and slinging it over my shoulder.

"I'd love to show you around, Mister Colin," I smiled.

Just as Colin and I began walking away from the café, familiar music played again, and I knew I was getting another call. Reaching into my purse and pulling out my cell phone, I immediately threw it back deep into my purse when I realized _he_ was calling me again.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Colin asked me curiously.

"Oh, no," I said, looping my arm around his. "It's no one important."

With that said, we continued on our way down the street.

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

Making my way through the entire town, my calves burning from running so fast, I searched for her. My heart raced and ached as I relived the memory of Brittany's wet and tear stricken face. This was by far the worst thing that has happened to me. God, I have really done it this time.

Damn bitch, Natalie. If she had never shown up at the park, Brittany and I could be having fun right now. We could have been feeding the ducks by the pond. We could have been taking a walk through the park, talking about putting the past behind us.

Most of all, we could have been cuddled close together watching the sunset into the horizon. I could have held her close to me and whispered how much I loved her in her ear. I could have stared right into those perfect icy blue eyes and thought how the moment couldn't have been more perfect.

But no, here I was, chasing desperately after the girl I loved and trying to explain to her what really happened at the park. I needed to find her and soon. I just hope I'm not too late.

Slowing down to a walk, I took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Brittany's number, hoping to hear the sweet sound of her voice. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

After the tone sounded off, I spoke as clearly and slowly as I could.

"Brittany," I began, "you don't understand. What happened at the park, it just happened. I never wanted that slut to kiss me. She practically threw herself onto me. Brittany, please pick up. I need to tell something important, something I should have told you a long time ago…please."

With my last plea, I closed my phone, praying that she would receive it and call back. However, hope of hearing from her was very slim. I wouldn't be surprised if I never saw her again.

As the thought ran through my mind, I hadn't even realized I had made it back to my neighborhood. The pain in my legs became unbearable, and I decided to have a seat on the sidewalk. Trying again, I called Brittany and got her voicemail. This time, I didn't leave a message.

Closing my phone, I brought my legs close to my chest and hugged them tightly. All I could think about was Brittany. Her face, her eyes, hair auburn hair, and her sweet voice kept racing through my brain. She was such an incredible. All I ever wanted was her, and it only took me until yesterday to figure that out. What couldn't I have learned sooner? Maybe, by now, we would have been together. Damn it, I wish she were here right now so I could tell her how sorry and stupid I am.

"You're so funny," I heard a giggly voice say from a distance.

That's weird. I'm thinking about Brittany so much, I'm starting to hear her voice. However, when I heard that giggle again, the giggle I heard so many times before, I couldn't deny it. It _was_ Brittany! She was here!

I unraveled from my curled up position and looked down the other side of the street. There she was, Brittany, the most beautiful girl in the world. Her hair bounced as she walked on the sidewalk, and she was wearing red, my favorite color. Wow, I never knew such a beauty could exist.

It was then that I realized she wasn't alone. She was walking with some brown haired guy I had never seen before, with her arms looped around his. Who the hell was the stiff? Why was Brittany with him?

Quickly standing up, I knew I had to talk to Brittany, right then and right there. I didn't care if she was hanging out with someone else. She had to know the truth.

"Brittany!" I shouted trying to get her attention.

As she looked over in my direction, her serene outlook turned into the stare of death. Fire burned in her eyes, telling me to get the hell out of here, but I wasn't going to leave until I told her the truth.

Making my way over to her, I noticed that she didn't stop her walking pace. In fact, she sped up and looked forward. That wasn't going to stop me. I ran after her and eventually stopped right in front of her and her new friend.

"Brittany, stop, please," I begged.

"Look pal, you're kind of in the way," the guy said, "so if you don't mind, move."

"Hey _buddy_, this doesn't concern you," I glared at him before turning to Brittany. "Brittany, I need to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you," Brittany hissed.

"Brittany, please, just give me one minute."

Brittany continued to give me the death stare but eventually toward the new guy and said, "Wait here."

Then, we walked away only a couple of feet, and I turned to look at her face to face. She had her arms crossed over her chest as if she were either waiting for me to speak or thinking about what she was going to say. Well, it was now or never.

"Brittany, listen…" I began.

"No, _you_ listen," she yelled cutting me off. "Nothing you can say can change what I saw at the park, Alvin. You locked lips with that little…little whore, and you made everything perfectly clear for me. You obviously didn't mean a single word you said to me over the phone. You led me on, and you lied to me."

"I didn't…"

"No! I don't want to hear anymore of your bull crap. In fact, I never want to see you again. I don't want to have anything to do with you. I don't want you in my life. I don't _need_ you in my life."

My jaw dropped as I listened to Brittany's angry rant. I can't believe she would think I didn't care. I meant every word I said. I would never lie to her. Now, my best friend, my love, my…everything was telling me to leave…for good this time. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be.

"Brittany…" I choked.

"You're not good for me, Alvin," she said, acid spilling out of her words. "I can't trust you anymore. I thought you were different…but I was wrong. Now, if you'll excuse me, Colin's waiting for me."

Brittany turned away from me and started walking away from me.

"No, don't Brittany," I screamed out to her. "Please, you're my best friend…"

I wanted to tell her how much I loved her, how much I wanted her to be mine…but…I had suddenly lost my voice. I couldn't fine the right words to tell her.

Then, I noticed that Brittany had stopped walking. Did I finally get to her? Is she going to come back to me? Please Brittany, come back.

"Goodbye, Alvin," she said almost inaudibly.

Those two little simple words cut deeply into my heart. I could feel my heart bleed out love for her as I watched her walk back to the boy named Colin. No, this isn't happening! This wasn't supposed to happen! No, no, no!

When I looked over at the dark haired boy, Colin, and saw him smirking at me, letting me know it was too late for me, and it was his turn now. Seeing him smirk like that sent a rush of rage throughout my body. I didn't even know the jerk and I already hated him for taking my life away.

As Brittany and Colin faded into the distance, I could feel my eyes water up at the brim. Was I crying? I had never cried once in my life, but I never had a reason to, until now. I placed my fingers on my eyes to wipe the tears away, but it didn't work. The tears just kept coming. That's when it truly hit me.

Brittany, my heart and soul, was gone. She was really gone…forever.


	8. A Magical Evening?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey guys! As always, thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. I appreciate them very, very much! Well, school's started back which means less frequent updates from me. I won't stop writing though. I plan on continuing with the two stories I'm currently working on. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eight: A Magical Evening?**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

Looking into my life-sized mirror, I slowly brushed my hair after straight-ironing it a few minutes earlier. Once it was soft and silky, I placed my brush down on the floor and stood up straight to appraise my appearance. My little black and tight dress reached above my knees and it showed just the right amount of cleavage. The strappy heels I decided to wear with it were very tall and thin, but I knew I could handle walking around in them. My make-up was perfect, as always, and I couldn't help but think how damn gorgeous I looked.

I continued to look at myself, checking and double-checking for any flaws I might have on my dress or my make-up. Everything had to be perfect tonight. Everything had to be just right for him. After all, Colin deserved the best.

It's funny how I've only known Colin for a week, but I couldn't help but feel as if I had known him for so much longer than that. We spent the whole past weekend together and he waited for me after school to walk me home. We talked about everything, from movies to music, likes to dislikes, even life itself. He listens to me, understands me, and he makes me feel better about everything. He's just…wonderful.

_If Colin's so wonderful, why can't you stop thinking about the red-capped chipmunk?_ the little voice in my head asked harshly.

I flinched at the mention of _him_. This is just great. No matter how hard I try, _he_ manages to sneak up into my mind and ruin my fantastic mood. Why couldn't he just stay the hell out of my head? Why did he keep coming back? I don't need him! He's gone! Gone, gone, gone!

_He stays in your mind because you let him stay_, the voice stated sharply. _You couldn't erase Alvin from existence even if you wanted to._

That's not true!

_Oh, come on_, the little voice egged on. _You know you miss him. You miss him a lot. Stop denying it._

I'm not _denying _anything! I don't want Alvin Seville in my life anymore! He's gone, and he's not coming back so there!

I shook my head to clear the private conversation from my mind. Every since my talk with that liar, the conversations started coming, and each day, they would be more loud, obnoxious, and acidic. God, I must be insane, arguing with a bunch of voices inside my head.

_I'm only telling you the truth_, the voice continued. _Like I keep telling you, you don't hate Alvin. You miss him like crazy. You want him and need him more than life itself. You never stopped caring, and…you can't stop loving him._

Shut up! Just shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about!

_Oh, believe me. I do know. I know what's in your heart and soul, Brittany. You're in love with Alvin Seville._

No I'm not! I can't be! I just can't be! How could I love a liar, a cheater, a…a…a total jackass! How can you say I'm in love with him?

_Because…even when Alvin ignored you…you still loved him, and…because he wants to be with you. He called you for a reason, didn't he?_

I stared back at my reflection, sighing deeply and knowing I had truly and completely gone mad. Yes, Alvin had called me. He wanted to hang out. He wanted to talk…but he couldn't have wanted to be with me…could he?

_He loves you, Brittany_, said the voice. _He needs you right now. Why don't you go to him?_

I looked down at my feet and felt a small tear go down my face. It's too late for us now. Alvin wouldn't want to be with me after the way I yelled at him. I didn't even give him a chance to explain what happened Saturday.

The voice in my head sighed. I guess it decided there was no point in arguing with me anymore. I would never change my mind about the decision I had made. I couldn't change my mind. I was going to go on a date with Colin tonight. I was going to forget about Alvin…no matter how much it killed me.

Suddenly, a voice shouted from down the stairs, causing me to jump in my skin and snap me out of my imaginary argument. I recognized the light and motherly voice as Eleanor's.

"Brittany!" she yelled. "Colin's here to pick you up!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" I shouted back.

After double-checking my appearance one last time, I quickly grabbed my purse from my bedpost and made my way out of my bedroom. I slowly climbed down the stairs to make an entrance. Both of my sisters, who were standing at the end of the stairwell, just rolled their eyes, but I noticed I had caught someone else's eye. When I realized it was Colin, I grinned to myself, thinking he must have loved my little black dress.

"Wow, you look great," Colin said as I walked towards him.

"Thank you," I giggled. "You clean up pretty good yourself."

I light traced my fingers on the smooth fabric of his black polo shirt. He wasn't too dressed up, wearing a pair of black pants and black shoes, but he looked nice nonetheless.

"So," Colin began as he gestured towards the door. "Shall we?"

I looped my arm around Colin's and said, "We shall."

"Miss Miller wants you back by ten, Brittany," Eleanor informed me as I made my way out the door.

"Don't worry," I replied. "I will."

Before closing the door, I couldn't help but overhear the hushed conversation between my two little sisters.

"It's a shame," Eleanor whispered. "I always thought it would be Alvin picking her up for a date."

"Honestly," Jeanette replied. "I was thinking the same thing. I wonder what happened last weekend. Brittany didn't tell me. All she said was something came up."

"She said the same thing to me. What could have happened?"

Closing the door behind me, I didn't hear anything else. It was better they didn't know the truth. I hadn't even told Miss Miller what had happened. To be honest, I didn't need or want their sympathy. I was doing just fine.

"I promise to make this a night you'll never forget," Colin said leading me down the porch steps.

"Sounds great," I answered.

We walked into the night together, and I couldn't help but think that tonight was going to be magical.

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

It's funny…how life can have its moments of hope…and then dash them with a sharp, steel knife, causing a person to bleed out all of their feelings of happiness and faith. It's what causes a person to feel pain, suffering…nothing.

That's how I felt as I slumped on the couch, staring at the television screen, uninterested in the comedy that was playing at the moment. I couldn't concentrate on anything nowadays. Everything was broken, shattered…destroyed forever. I just…didn't understand why it had to happen.

Lately, of course, nothing made sense anymore. Nothing seemed to matter to me. Everything was going by so slowly for me. This whole week felt like an eternity. I didn't care though. Without her…without Brittany…my sweet beautiful Brittany…my life, my world…my soul…without her, I was nothing. I would always be nothing.

"Alvin?" I heard a voice say behind me.

I knew exactly whom the voice belonged to, and after turning around slowly, I wasn't surprised to find Simon standing behind me.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"I'm leaving now," he said bluntly. "I'm meeting Jeanette at the movie theater tonight."

"Hmm…" was all I managed to say.

I mean it wasn't as if I was upset that my little brother finally had the courage to ask Jeanette out. I was actually very happy for him. I just envied that he was with the girl of his dreams, and I was…well, lonely and broken to say the least. I could feel how ironic it was that my nerdy brother was the one getting the girl, and me, Alvin Seville the rock star, whom girls fall all over was now girl-less.

I turned back around and stared blankly at the television screen again. The numbness I felt a moment ago started come back to me, and all I wanted was to be left alone in all of my self-pity. It's what I deserved.

A few seconds later, I felt movement on the left side of the couch, and heard someone say, "Alvin, you need to take better care of yourself."

I turned my head to the left and realized it was Simon who had spoken. Then again, who else could it have been?

"I know how much you miss Brittany," he continued, "but this isn't good for you. You can't spend your whole life sitting in front of the television. It's unhealthy."

It's funny how Simon could tell I was in pain even though I didn't tell him what had happened last weekend. I guess its just part of the brotherly package.

"If you need me to stay…" Simon began to say.

"No," I interrupted. "No…don't let me spoil your night, Si. Go out with your girl and have a good time."

"You sure?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Letting out a deep sigh, Simon stood from the couch and began walking towards the door. He didn't make it far before he turned around and said, "Alvin, at least go outside for a while and get some air."

Then, in a matter of minutes, Simon was out the door. I thought about what my brother had just said about getting some fresh air, and honestly, it didn't sound like a bad idea. With that thought in mind, I got up and made my way out the door.

When I was outside, I stood on the porch for a while before taking a seat on the steps. There was a slight chilly breeze in the air, but the sweatpants I was wearing kept me pretty warm. I looked up into the sky and noticed how the colors seemed to blend together as the sun set in the horizon. The scene was so beautiful, yet I cringed away thinking how something so amazing brought back such heart-wrenching memories and hurtfully reminded me of what could have been.

Why was I put on this world to suffer? Why did I have to be such a jerk to the only person I loved more than life itself? Why was I such an idiot?

So many questions ran through my mind. It was hard to keep up with them. The only thing I knew for sure was life as I knew it was over, and there was nothing I could do to fix it.

"So, where are you taking me?" I heard a light and familiar voice ask.

It didn't take me long to recognize whom the voice belonged to. There was no doubt in my mind that it was Brittany…my Brittany.

"Just the fanciest restaurant on this side of town," another voice answered.

I nearly gagged when I heard that voice. I knew it was that creep who stole my only reason to live, whatever the hell his name was. I clenched my fists together trying to suppress the anger building inside me.

Suddenly, I could hear footsteps coming from my right. I quickly hid in the bushes beside the porch steps to avoid being seen. The footsteps became louder as they came closer to my house. They were soon passing by, and that's when I saw her…Brittany…my Brittany.

She looked so beautiful, her long auburn hair blowing in the breeze, her eyes shining like icy blue sapphires, and God, her little black dress looked so sexy as it showed her curves, slender legs, and that just right amount of cleavage. Damn, I wanted her so badly.

"How could you afford to take me Le Restaurant Élégant?" Brittany asked what's his face.

"I have my ways," what's his name said smoothly winking at her.

Oh, God. I could feel my dinner coming back up, or at least the little I did eat. I really hate that son of a bitch. Why did he have to have his hands all over my Brittany? He didn't deserve her.

Soon, Brittany and whoever he was walked away and out of my sight. I didn't understand why, but something in my gut told me to follow them. What's his name just didn't sit right with me, and I had to know whether my gut instinct was telling me the truth, or whether I was just jealous. I hoped it was my gut instinct more than my hatred for the snake.

I knew exactly how to get to the restaurant and it wouldn't take me long to find them. With that train of thought, I quickly went inside, put on my sandals, grabbed my wallet, keys, red cap and jacket, and started making my way out the door.

"Alvin, where are you going?" I heard a voice ask curiously.

I knew it was Theodore who had asked me that question, so without turning around, I said, "I need to take care of something. If you see Dave, tell him I'll be back soon."

Without waiting for a response, I closed the door behind me making my way to Le Restaurant Élégant. Minutes later, I entered the restaurant asking one of the waiters for a table. He didn't hesitate as he grabbed a menu and showed me to my table.

Walking to my table, I subtly looked around the room in search of Brittany. She had to be here already. Where was she?

That's when I spotted her. She was on the left side of the room, talking to one of the waitresses. I still couldn't get over how beautiful and amazing she looked. She was just so gorgeous.

"Excusez-moi, Monsieur," the waiter leading me to my table said in a French accent, "Is this table alright?"

I looked back at the waiter and said, "Yeah, it's fine. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Monsieur," the waiter replied before taking his leave.

Taking a seat, I placed the menu in front of my face, making sure no one, especially Brittany, could see me. I peaked over the menu occasionally to watch Brittany's reactions. She seemed to be laughing a lot, which didn't make sense to me because I didn't find the ass the least bit funny. Seriously, what did Brittany see in this jerk?

Minutes passed, and all that seemed to happen was the guy saying something and Brittany laughing about it. I still didn't understand why Brittany liked the guy. It just didn't make sense. Suddenly, I saw movement. What's his face was getting up. Now was the time to see what was so special about him.

Putting my menu down, I followed what's his face, covering my face to make sure Brittany didn't see me. I stayed a good distance from him, and I eventually saw him walk into the restroom. After waiting a few seconds, I quietly walked in and hid in one of the stalls. I stood on top of the toilet to make sure he thought he was alone.

Another second later, I heard a toilet flush and a stall door open. I let my head peak over the stall door and I watched as the brown hair freak washed his hands. Then, I heard loud music begin to play. I left my phone at home. I couldn't be getting a call. That's when I say what's his name take out his cell phone.

"Hello?" he answered after picking up his phone.

I listened carefully to the conversation being carried out.

"Oh, hey Marty," he continued. "How you doing? I'm good, considering I'm on a date with the smoking hot pop sensation, Brittany Miller."

There was a small pause before he went on.

"I know, man. I think tonight's going to turn out to be exciting, not to mention going to be full of sex…I know, I know, I'm the master of getting laid…Well, believe it. I've slept with every girl I could get my hands on. Brittany is going to be next. I can tell she's just asking for it…Oh, yeah, I'll have her down on her knees begging for more…Oh, don't worry, man. I'll give you all the details you want once I get my hands on that sweet ass."

Hearing that little piece of dog crap say that nearly sent me over the edge. I could feel myself boiling with rage, my hands clenching and unclenching. Why that lying little son of a bitch! How dare he think about laying a hand on Brittany like that! I knew he was an asshole! From the first moment I saw that little mo foe I knew he was trouble! I swear I'm going to kick his ass!

"Okay, man, well I got to go. I'm getting a booty call tonight…yeah, yeah, talk to you later."

He closed his phone, and walked out of the bathroom. I stepped down from the toilet and out of the stall. Oh, damn it! This is not good…not good at all! I had to tell Brittany…and soon…before it was too late!

Wait, I can't just go up to her table. What am I going to do? That's when I realized…she'd have to come use the restroom sometime. I'll find her then. I just hope she listens this time.


	9. Believe Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Wow! It's been almost two months since I last updated this story! I'm so sorry, guys! School has been so crazy! Anyway, I want to make it up to you guys, so from now on, I will only be making updates on **_**I Can't Stop Loving You**_** until it is completely finished. I will continue my work with **_**The Squeakquel With A Twist **_**after this story is complete. Also, there is someone I keep neglecting to mention! I want to thank my editor and BFF Simon wanna be for all he does for my chapters as far as editing. Thank you BFF! Anyway, on with the story!**

**Chapter Nine: Believe Me**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

Sitting at the dinner table with my leg crossed over the other, I patiently waited for Colin to return from the restroom. So far, the date was turning out great. Colin had told me a lot of funny stories, and I really enjoyed his company a lot. He even told me countless of times how beautiful I looked in my black dress. I would definitely say that by tonight, Colin would become my new boyfriend.

Smiling at the thought, I took my compact mirror out from my purse and began checking my appearance. My mascara and eyeliner were still great, and my lipstick hadn't smeared at all. When I checked my hair, not a single strand was out of place. Damn, I looked good.

_God, you're so full of yourself_, the little voice in my head spat, _and that loser you think is so great is definitely not boyfriend material._

My great mood disappeared once that annoying voice popped into my head once again.

Shoot, I thought I had gotten rid of you earlier.

_Oh, please. You can't get rid of me that easily._

I rolled my eyes and let out a frustrated sigh as I placed my compact mirror back into my purse. I smoothed out the bottom of my dress and switched the leg I was crossing with my other, hoping Colin would return soon.

_I have a better idea_, the voice said. _Instead of waiting, let's ditch the stiff._

I growled inwardly at that very uncalled for comment.

Will you please just shut the hell up? I'm having a great time on this date. How could you even say something like that?

_It's actually quite simple. It's like this: LET'S DITCH THE STIFF!_

Suddenly, I felt a small shock pass through my head. It was so quick, yet so painful all at the same time. I shook my head a little, trying to clear it.

_Come on! Just leave!_

Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm not going anywhere!

_Oh, but you should, Brittany!_

What the hell do you know?

_I know everything, remember? I know how you operate and I know how you're feeling! You still love Alvin! I can sense it!_

Another quick shock raced through my brain, causing me to feel slightly dizzy.

Stop it!

_Not until you listen!_

I could feel my brain begin to pound against my skull, giving me a massive migraine. Setting my elbows on the table, I slowly began to rub my temples in an attempt to soothe the pain. It was official; I had officially lost all my sense of sanity all in the matter of minutes.

_I wouldn't even be here if you would just listen to me for once!_ the voice screamed at me.

The pounding against my skull grew more and more intense. It felt as if my skull would crack open at any moment. I rubbed my temples harder and faster, trying with all my might to get rid of the pain.

_Colin's not the one, Brittany! He's not, he's not, HE'S NOT!_

I HATE YOU!

"Brittany?" a familiar voice suddenly asked worriedly.

I quickly looked up and stared into the dark brown eyes of my date. He stared right back at me, his face written with worry and confusion, as I continued to massage the sides of my head. God, he must have thought I was insane.

"Are you all right, Brittany?" Colin asked me concerned.

"U-Uh," I stuttered. "I, uh, need to go to the restroom for a minute."

Without waiting for a response, I jumped out of my seat and hastily made my way across the room towards the restrooms. I had to calm down before this got out of hand.

_Too late_, the voice smugly said.

The migraine continued to worsen, and I massaged my temples even hard as I turned the corner to enter the hallway where the restrooms were located. However, before I could take another step, something, a hand, clasped over my mouth, and before I knew it, something else, most likely an arm, wrapped around my waist, lifted me off the ground and began carrying me back. Oh, damn it! I was being kidnapped!

I tried to scream out, but the hand covering my mouth muffled my cries for help. I kicked my legs vigorously, trying to free myself, but the person holding me tight had such a firm grip. I would never break free of it. Damn, this kidnapper had some muscle.

After a few seconds of struggling, I decided to take action. Jerking my head as hard as I could, I freed my mouth and then bit down hard on the hand that was covering it seconds earlier.

"Ouch!" yelled a voice.

With that statement, I was suddenly dropped to the floor, landing hard on my ass. I groaned in agony as I slowly started to stand up, and I looked around and realized that I was carried into the women's restroom.

"Damn it, Brittany," the voice spoke again. "Could you have bitten me any harder?"

I froze in place when I heard that all too familiar voice. Even though I hadn't heard it in over a week, I would recognize that voice anywhere. My shoulders tensed up as I recalled our last encounter. My eyes shut tightly, and my breathing grew harder. I could feel my anger build inside me, and it took all my energy to keep myself from lashing out at him. I kept my back towards him. After all, I told him I never wanted to see _him_ again.

"What the hell are you doing here, Alvin?" I asked, my words full of venom.

"I saw you and that guy walk by my house," he started. "I followed you guys here and…"

When I heard those words come out of the arrogant chipmunk's mouth, my blood immediately started boiling even more. I quickly turned around on my heels to face him.

"You followed us?" I screamed. "You asshole! What the hell is your problem?"

"Brittany, will you just shut up and let me finish," he said as calmly as he could. "When that guy was in the restroom earlier, so was I. I heard him talking to some other guy on the phone. He was talking about how he wanted to get in your pants."

Listening to Alvin say those terrible things about Colin, all I wanted to do was claw out his eyes. He was such a liar. I couldn't believe he would make up such bull crap.

_I don't believe he's lying_, the voice in my head said. _Alvin has never steered you wrong before. Why now?_

"I can't believe how immature you are!" I shouted. "Do you honestly think that lying to me is going to get me to like you again? You're pathetic!"

"Brittany, I'm telling you the truth!" Alvin shouted back as he took a step towards me. "That jerk is out to take advantage of you! He doesn't love you!"

_Believe him, Brittany!_ the voice yelled. _He maybe on to something!_

"Yes, he does love me!" I screamed furiously. "Why should I believe anything you say? You were the one swapping spit with that slut, Natalie!"

"_I _didn't kiss that bitch, Britt!" Alvin screeched. "_She _kissed me! She's crazy as hell, and I would never want to be with someone like her!"

_So, he really didn't like her! I told you! _I heard the voice shout in satisfaction.

"Yeah, right! I know you, Mister Big Shot! You wanted the attention from all those hoes! That's all you've ever wanted from the first moment I met your sorry ass!"

"Fine, I admit it! I did want the attention! Hell, I loved it, but that was before those crazy chicks started following me around like a pack of dogs! I couldn't take it anymore! I was at my wits end, Britt!"

_He was sick of the attention, too! Ha!_

"Stop lying to me, you jackass!"

"I'm not lying! Brittany, believe me!"

By this point, our noses were practically touching. I could see the vein in his forehead pulsate as he continued yelling at me. He was just as angry as I was.

_Why are you being so freakin' difficult, Brittany? JUST BELIEVE HIM! _the voice desperately cried.

"No, I won't! Why the hell should I believe you?"

For a few moments, Alvin didn't say a word. He stared at me with an expressionless look on his face before he finally decided to speak again.

"Why?" he repeated. "Why? You want to know why I followed you here? You want to know why I dragged you into the restroom? You want to know why I'm telling you this? You want to know why, Britt?"

I didn't answer any of his questions. All I wanted to do was glare at him. I wanted to hate him with all my might. I wanted to forget about him. A moment of silence passed between us before Alvin decided to break the silence.

"This is why," he said quietly, moving towards me quickly.

His hands swiftly grabbed either side of my face, and his lips crashed hard and deliberate against mine. My eyes grew a million times their size, and I started beating his chest in order to make him stop. Then, I felt something. I felt some sort of spark build inside me, and I abruptly lost the urge to fight back. I could feel how soft Alvin's lips were against my own, and my knees locked, causing me to fall into his chest. I guess Alvin felt me falling because his arms were soon around my waist, holding me towards him.

Feeling Alvin's tongue slip into my mouth, I moaned softly, and my entire body became heated. I could feel Alvin's hands travel up and down my back as my hands wrapped around his neck. I rolled my tongue with Alvin's, and I could feel his hands lightly squeeze my ass. I groaned a little from the sensation. Eventually, my back laid flat against the wall, and Alvin pushed himself against me, making me sigh and moan more.

It was at that moment when I realized I had never in all my life experienced such an intimate moment in my life. I had never kissed a boy before but I knew nothing could compare to the feeling Alvin's kiss was giving me. I felt alive. I felt renewed. I felt…I felt…loved. For the first time in my life, I felt as if a strong, beautiful man loved me for who I was. I felt as if there was nothing else in the world. It was only Alvin and I sharing this incredible moment, and I never wanted it to end.

Unfortunately, it did. Alvin's lips soon left mine, and I already missed the feeling of his soft, warm lips on mine. When I opened my eyes, I looked deeply into Alvin's blue eyes and saw so many emotions run through them. I saw hurt, heartbreak, torment, worry, and so much more in them, and I truly believed he was anguishing over the fact that I refused to believe him. Then, Alvin finally spoke.

"I love you, Brittany Miller," he said looking straight at me. "I never realized until last week, but I have always been in love with you, and I always will be."

I was utterly speechless. I wanted to say something to him, but when I opened my mouth and tried to speak, I couldn't. Nothing came out, and all I could do was stare at the chipmunk who claimed to love me.

"Please, Brittany," he begged me. "You have to believe me. I don't want to see you hurt."

I still couldn't say anything. My throat felt dry, and still nothing came out when I tried to speak.

"Brittany? You alright in there?" I heard a voice ask me as a knock came from behind me.

It wasn't Alvin who had asked me those questions or knocked on the door I was currently leaning against. I knew it was Colin who was calling for me. He was waiting for me, and I knew what I had to do.

"I'm fine," I said a little hoarsely, never taking my eyes off of Alvin. "I'll, um, be out in few."

Alvin mouthed a "no" which was directed to me.

"Okay, well, our food is ready," Colin said, "but if you want, I could just go ahead and pay, and we can go for a walk or something."

"Um, sure, we can do that," I answered.

"Alright, I'll go pay. Come find me when you're ready to leave."

"I will."

I heard light footsteps walk away from the door, and when they were gone, Alvin said, "Brittany, you can't do this. Don't you believe me?"

"I-I don't know," I said softly looking into his eyes still.

"Don't, please," he begged.

Looking at Alvin's tortured face, I felt my heart break into a million pieces. I wanted to believe Alvin. I wanted to so badly my chest began to hurt, but I couldn't just bail on my date with Colin. He at least deserved that.

"Alvin, I…" I started to say. "I have to go."

Saying that, I watched as Alvin's face fell long and hard. His eyes were full of anger, pain, and despair, and I quickly looked away and opened the door behind me. Exiting the restroom, I was on the verge of tears. Alvin's face continued to reappear in my head, and it took all of my power to keep from sobbing remorsefully. Turning the corner, I found Colin waiting for me at our table. I slowly made my way over, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

"Ready to go?" Colin asked once I got to the table.

"Yeah," I said emotionlessly.

With that said, Colin stood up, took my hand in his, and led me out of the restaurant. He continued to lead me as we walked around the neighborhood, but I didn't really care. At the moment, I had no control over my body. All I could think about was Alvin and how sorrowful and depressed he looked when I told him I was leaving. My chest ached badly as I pictured his face once again. I flinched as the pain coursed through my body. God, what have I done?

When I finally came out of my dazed state, I noticed that Colin had led me to the park. This was where I was supposed to meet Alvin only a week ago. This was where we were supposed to have fun and enjoy the day together. This…this was where I was going to tell him I love him, tell him I always loved him…that I would never stop loving him.

"It's beautiful," I heard Colin say.

Shaking my head, I looked at him and asked, "Excuse me?"

"The night sky," he answered, pointing up towards the sky. "It's beautiful."

I looked up only briefly and said, "Oh, um, yeah."

Colin must have noticed my odd behavior because out of nowhere, I felt his hand under my chin. He brought my face up so that I could look at him.

"You seem upset," he directly stated. "I know how to make you feel better."

Before I could say another word, Colin's lips were suddenly on mine. With this kiss, I felt nothing. No spark, no heat, nothing. It was nothing like kissing Alvin at all, and I honestly couldn't wait for him to stop kissing me.

To my surprise, he didn't stop. He pushed my back until my back was against a tree and forcefully stuck his tongue into my mouth. Thinking nothing of what he was doing, I didn't protest as he rolled his tongue with mine. But then, I felt his hands move across my chest and over my breasts. I froze instantly.

"C-Colin," I said in a frightened tone as I broke away from his lips, "what are you doing?"

He didn't answer me. Instead, he kissed my neck as his hands continued exploring my body. In that instant, I knew something was not right. Usually boys stopped when a girl asked him too, but Colin was still touching me, and not in the way I wanted to be touched.

"Colin, stop," I said again.

"Why should I?" he asked me pushing me harder against the tree. "I know you want it."

Horror struck me when I realized Alvin was telling me the truth. I was in serious trouble, and I had to get myself out of there soon.

"No, Colin, stop!" I shouted struggling to break free.

It was no use however. Colin was a lot stronger than I was, and my struggling only made him push harder against me.

"Be a good little girl and just give me what I want," he said dangerously.

His hands were all of a sudden in my dress. I could feel him grab the sides of my underwear, and I screamed out loud as I continued to struggle against his strength. Then, he muffled my cries by crushing his lips hard on mine as he began taking off my panties. I wanted to escape from this nightmare, but with Colin entire body pinning me against the trunk of the tree. I couldn't move any part of my body. I could feel the fabric of my panties slide down my thighs. Oh God! I was about to be raped, and there was nothing I could do about it!


	10. Saving Her

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey guys! So, as I said in my author's note in the last chapter, I will only be making updates on this story. I'll be honest, this chapter has been the most difficult to right because of the action taking place. Anyway, I'll let you guys be the judge on whether I did this story justice. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Ten: Saving Her**

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

I stood there…waiting. I stared…waiting. I held my breath…waiting. I waited for Brittany to come back to me and tell me she believed me. I waited for her to run into my arms and hug me tightly as I held her close to me. I waited for her to whisper in my ear and tell me she felt the same way about me as I did for her. I waited for me to wake up from this nightmare. I waited…

Nothing happened. I stood in front of the restroom door Brittany had walked out of only a few short moments ago, hoping for her return. She didn't come back. She didn't listen to me. She left me even after I confessed my love for her. She left…even after that passionate kiss we shared.

I thought back to our kiss, going through every second after our lips had touched. She was surprised. I knew because her lips were stiff, and she beat my chest trying to get away from me. But as the kiss continued, I felt her lips soften against mine, and she soon fell into my arms.

The feeling of Brittany's succulent lips on mine was so amazing, and as my hands rubbed up and down her back and squeezed her firm and perfect ass, I knew I would remember the sensations I felt during that moment for a long time. I would remember how Brittany's tongue wrestled against mine and how I loved every minute of it. I would remember how it felt to have my body against hers. God, it felt so incredible, and there was a part of me that never wanted the feeling to stop.

But it had stopped. I had let her leave, and let her return to that son of a bitch who had the nerve to lay his hands on her. I had failed to save her, and I would never be able to feel her lips against mine again. Never…never…

I shook my head sorrowfully as I crouched down to the floor. I encircled my arms around my head, and tears began to roll down my cheeks. I cried my eyes out, mourning over the loss of the sweet and beautiful love of my life. It was over…really over…and there was nothing I could do about it.

_WHAT? _a loud and angry voice shouted.

Taken by surprise, I quickly brought my head up and looked around to find the source of the noise, wiping the tears from my cheeks. There was nothing in the restroom. The only noise that could be heard was the sound of the air conditioning.

_HOW THE HELL CAN YOU SAY THAT?_ the voice yelled again.

It was at that moment that I realized where the voice was coming from…my mind.

_I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD SAY THAT!_ it screamed heatedly at me.

I sighed and stood up straight. Why not? You and I both know it's finished. That little piece of dog crap won. He's going to have his way with her, and I can't stop him.

Out of nowhere, a sudden blast of pain coursed through my head, and I felt as if I would pass out from the shock.

_OH, WILL YOU STOP WITH THE PITY PARTY AND SHUT THE HELL UP? IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL I SAY IT'S OVER, AND LET ME TELL YOU, PAL, IT'S NOT OVER, NOT BY A LONG SHOT!_

Coming out of my stunned state, I listened carefully to the enraged voice inside my head. I suddenly felt a wave of understanding come over me. The angry voice was right. It wasn't over. It _couldn't _be over. I _wouldn't_ let it be over.

Seeing a purpose for the first time since Brittany walked away from me, I burst through the restroom door and hurriedly made my way out of the restaurant. When I came close to the table I was sitting at, I took money out of my wallet and threw it near the table, not caring whether any of it actually landed on the table. Once outside of the restaurant, I started to run. I ran as fast I as could go, running anywhere and everywhere. I had to find Brittany, and I had to find her fast.

Running through the neighborhood, I could feel my lungs and calf muscles burning. However, the adrenaline coursing through my body gave me the strength and willpower I needed to push on. I couldn't stop now. I couldn't stop while Brittany, _my _Brittany, was in great danger. There was no way I was going to let that asshole lay a hand on her. I would stop him, even if it killed me.

Without even realizing it, my legs took me straight through the park, the very same place that had ruined my life. I couldn't think about that now. I was on a mission. Frantically looking around as I ran, there was still no sign of Brittany. Where was she? She couldn't have just vanished into thin air. That's when I heard a voice.

"No, Colin, stop!" the voice screamed.

Oh, no! No, no, no! I knew exactly whom the voice belonged to. It was definitely Brittany, and judging from the panic in her voice, she was definitely in trouble. My legs picked up more speed as I followed the scream. Seconds later, I saw them, and I immediately felt the blood boil through my body from what I witnessed. What's His Face had himself all over Brittany trapping her against a tree. I could see her struggling to break free. Oh, hell no! That son of a bitch was _not_ going to get away with this!

"Be a good little girl and just give me what I want," I could hear him say, as I got closer.

That comment really sent me over the edge. I ran faster and faster, getting closer to them with every step I took. Then, when I finally reached them, I used all of my upper body power to pull the little mo foe off of the girl I loved by the shoulders.

"What the…" I heard him shout.

Before I could utter another word, I swiftly grabbed his right shoulder and turned him to face me. After balling my right fist as hard as I could, I socked him right in his jaw. The blow was so hard that I swear I heard his jaw crack as he fell to the ground almost limply. Whether he was unconscious or not, I wasn't sure. When What's His Face didn't move, I turned my attention towards Brittany to see her staring at me with wide and terrified eyes. She shakily pulled up her underwear that jerk off had managed to pull down to her knees as I walked up to her, placing my hands on either side of her face.

"Brittany, are you okay?" I asked worriedly looking into her scared icy blue eyes. "Are you hurt?"

She was silent for what seemed like hours until she finally started sobbing.

"Oh, Alvin," she cried as she fell into my chest.

Wrapping my arms around her, I began rubbing her back soothing, doing whatever I could to calm her down. I whispered softly in her ear that she was safe and that I was here. Unknown to us, my punch to the asshole's face hadn't knocked him out.

"Damn it, you again?" he asked angrily.

Knowing I had to face this jerk once and for all, I let go of Brittany's face and quickly put her behind me, immediately going into defensive mode. I watched as What's His Face slowly stood up and looked at me, his lip leaking blood and his eyes filled with rage.

"I thought I took care you, you little fucker," he said, wiping away the fresh blood oozing from his lip.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," I said furiously.

His eyes burned with a fiery intensity of vengeance and resentment as he took a few steps towards Brittany and me.

"Well, I suggest you get out of the way," he said, "unless you want to get hurt."

"You stay the hell away from Brittany, asshole," I screamed.

Brittany stood close to my back, and her hands were clenched around the fabric of my shirt. I knew she was scared. Hell, I was a little scared myself, but no one was going to hurt Brittany on my watch. It was time to put this mo foe in his place.

"You piece of shit," he hissed. "What are you doing protecting such a slut like her, anyway? Can't you see she was practically asking for it?"

"Shut your fucking mouth, jackass!" I yelled, cursing for the first time in my life. "The only thing she was asking for was for you to stop!"

"Not from my point of view," he continued as he began pacing. "You see, every girl is nothing but a sex toy for men. The only thing they're good for is to give us men pleasure. That's all they'll ever be good for. I'm just living up to that expectation, and the sooner you understand that, the better this situation will be."

"You sicko!" Brittany screamed from behind me. "You're crazy!"

Brittany tighten her grip on my shirt as I yelled, "That's the stupidest shit I have ever heard! You've got some serious mental issues!"

"To each his own," he said, shrugging his shoulders as if what he had just said was nothing, "Now, get out of the way. Miss Brittany and I have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Make me, punk ass!" I screamed to the top of my lungs. "I'd like to see you try."

"Hmm…suit yourself," he said as he stopped his pacing and looked down at his feet.

I watched his stature carefully, looking for any signs in this body motions that would let me know he was about to attack me. A whole minute had passed, but he hadn't moved from his spot or looked back up from the ground. Then, I noticed his feet shift into different positions, and I knew what was coming. All of a sudden, What's His Face began to charge like a crazed and furious bull.

"Brittany, move!" I yelled.

Without giving Brittany the time to respond, I hastily took her arm and pushed her away from me. I heard a small yelp escape her mouth as well as a thud once she hit the ground. I didn't want to push her away, but she didn't need to get hurt because of me. Seconds later, I felt the full impact of What's His Face's thick skull and chest against my stomach like a hard wreaking ball. The wind was knocked completely out of my system as we collided with the cold, solid ground, me grunting in pain from the blow.

What's His Face had my arms and legs pinned down before I could even throw a punch at him, and unfortunately for me, he was the first to throw the punch. Tightly balling his fists, he hit me five times right in the face and jaw, whamming his knuckles against my jawbone. From the force of the punches, he could have completely broken my jaw in half, but lucky for me, I felt that my knee was really close to his groin. So, absorbing his punches and focusing my mind as much as possible, I shifted my knee into position. I struck him hard in the groin, and he went down in an instant, falling beside me and groaning from the intense pain I could only imagine he was feeling.

As he laid on the ground in a fetal position and clutched his manhood, I sat up as quickly as I could. I looked over at where I had pushed Brittany. I hadn't pushed her far, but at least she was far enough away from the scrap so she wouldn't get hurt. Knowing a kick to the groin would keep What's His Face occupied for a while, I crawled over to Brittany, who had not attempted to stand up from the spot where she had fell. Once close enough, I grabbed onto Brittany's chin and forced her to look at me.

"Brittany," I said. "You need to get out of here, now."

Brittany stared at me, her eyes a million times wide and full of terror. There was so much fear in them and I could even feel myself getting scared.

"No, Alvin," she said a little frightened but determined. "I'm not going to leave you."

Hearing that response, I knew getting Brittany to leave would be harder than I expected. Even in times of crisis, she was still as stubborn as a mule.

"I'll be fine, Brittany," I said reassuringly, "but you need to go. Run and call the police. They'll be able to put this guy behind bars and keep you safe. You _have _to be safe, and you can't do that if you're still sitting here."

She shook her head violently, willing me to let go of her chin.

"I can't leave you," she said, "What if something happens to you?"

"Nothing's going to happen," I responded as calmly as possible. "Just go."

"But, Alvin…"

"Go, Brittn..."

Suddenly, something grabbed my ankle and jerked at my foot, and before I could even blink, I was being pulled back. Oh, damn it! That son of a bitch recovered fast!

Trying to keep myself from being pulled back any farther, I dug my nails into the dirt. However, What's His Face was too strong for me. He jerked my entire body back towards him, causing me to growl and my nails to make straight lines in the dirt. It felt as if my nails were being ripped out of my fingertips.

Then, he swiftly turned over on my side, and giving me no time to act, his foot came crashing into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me once again. Then, his foot came down once again. This time, he aimed for my face. With a hard whack to nose, I immediately heard a crack and a sharp, agonizing pain shot through my face. I screamed out in anguish and felt a warm liquid, most likely blood, gush from my nose.

"That's for being an ass, punk," I heard him say.

As pain continued to course through me, I listened as footsteps walked away from me, crushing the brittle grass on the ground. Then, I heard an ear piercing scream, and ignoring the pain as best as I could, I looked up to see What's His Face closing in on Brittany. Oh, hell no!

"Stay away from me!" Brittany yelled as she crawled away from him, rustling the grass as she did so.

"Come to daddy," I heard him say vengefully as he gained up on her.

Hearing him talking to Brittany like that, the pain in my face completely disappeared, and soon, all of my strength, adrenaline and anger came back and raced through my veins once again. There was no chance in hell I was going to let him touch Brittany again.

Getting up at full speed, I jumped onto my feet, ran over and grabbed What's His Face by his shoulders, letting my nails claw as much as they could through his shirt and into his skin. I slung him towards the ground and jumped on top of him, my knee poking like a knife into his spine. I grabbed, held and twisted his arms like a pretzel behind his back, preventing him from making any movements. However, What's His Face was putting up one hell of a fight. I wouldn't be able to keep him down much longer.

"Brittany, run!" I screamed turning towards her.

Standing up, Brittany began running away from the scene. I could feel What's His Face squirm underneath me, and with a few more twists and turns, one of his arms escaped my grasp. Brittany must have noticed because she turned back around with a horrified expression on her face.

"Alvin!" she yelled

"Damn it, Brittany, run! Get the hell out of here!" I screamed again.

Realizing how angry I was, Brittany took off again, but this time, she didn't look back. She was soon out of sight, and moments later, What's His Face had turn the tables on me. He flipped me over onto my back and pinned me down like he had before, staring me down with anger and fury burning in his eyes.

"You son of a bitch!" He shouted ferociously. "You let her get away!"

"Fuck you, jackass!" I cried out. "What are you going to do about it?"

With that, What's His Face balled up his fists again and began punching my face in, reminding me just how much my face was already in pain. Every punch felt like hard, jagged rocks and they were becoming harder and coming down on me faster than the one before it. I could hear and feel my skull begin to crack. The pain multiplied even more, and the blood gushing out of my nose was now flowing, some of it entering my mouth. I wanted so desperately to fight back, but with What's His Face on top of me, I had no way of defending myself. He had me right where he wanted me, and there was no way I could stop him.

The punches continued to come, and I gradually began to lose consciousness. My body grew numb and soon, my vision became fuzzy. More blood oozed out of my face, and I felt faint. How much blood had I lost?

I didn't care though. At that moment, the only thought going through my mind was that my Brittany was safe. I had done what I thought couldn't be possible. I had saved her. She was safe…

Then, with one more punch to the face, everything went black…


	11. Stay with Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey you guys! So, would you believe me if I told you I wrote this chapter in one night? Well…I did, and boy, was it a lot of work. Anyway, as I stated in a previous chapter, I will only be making updates to this story. I will return to **_**The Squeakquel with A Twist**_** once this story is complete. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!**

**Chapter Eleven: Stay with Me**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

My breathing was heavy and labored as I gasped for more air. My legs ached from being overworked, and my feet were killing me from the heels I was wearing. But at that moment, it didn't matter, and I didn't care. With adrenaline coursing throughout my entire body, I just kept running. I ran as fast as I could, not paying any attention to where I was or where I was going. I ran…just like Alvin had told me to do.

I flinched as pain shot through my chest. Thinking about what Alvin was doing as I ran away like a scared little girl made me feel so guilty and hurt. Alvin was fighting for my life, even after all the things I said and did to him. He had come to my rescue…he was there for me…just like he promised. Warm tears streamed down my cheeks as I thought about Alvin sacrificing himself for me.

I also couldn't believe how stupid and gullible I was to believe such a lying son of a bitch like Colin. All of that talk about respecting women was complete bull crap. He never loved me. He just wanted to get me in bed. My heart shattered into pieces as I remembered Colin referring to women as "sex toys." God, I hate that lying, no good jackass!

Feeling as if my lungs would collapse at any time, I stopped and hunched over, taking slow, deep breaths to relax my heart rate. When I looked up to see my surroundings, I realized as I was at the same outdoor café I ran to after seeing Alvin and Nathalie lip locked. The only difference was lit candles were set as the centerpieces for the tables. This was the same place where I had met…_him_. I cringed as I walked towards the tables.

Because it was nighttime, there were barely any people here. There was a boy and a girl sitting at a far table on my right, and the usual waitresses walked around to see if any new customers had arrived. When I turned my head to my left, I noticed a blue uniformed, overweight, gray haired man sitting at one of the tables. A thought came to my mind as I stared at the man. A blue uniform…was he a police officer? Hoping the answer to that question was yes, I swiftly made my way towards him as he began making small talk with a blonde waitress.

"Get me a decaf coffee, Francine," he said with a rough, scratchy voice to the waitress standing in front of him.

"You got it, suga," she answered with an almost Southern accent.

When the waitress named Francine walked away, I had finally made it to the man's table.

"Sir, I need help!" I almost shouted, my voice quavering slightly.

The uniformed man turned towards me, and I was able to get a better look at him. I looked at his image carefully, catching a glimpse of his golden badge and nametag. The badge indicated he was definitely in law enforcement, and I noticed his nametag said Herman Whitcomb. Looking at Officer Whitcomb's face, he had chubby cheeks from being overweight, his light blue eyes had dark circles around them from lack of sleep, and his gray mustache was very unkempt and messy.

I watched, as his eyes seemed to have a suspicious look in them. I guess the previous events from earlier had caused me to not look my best. For all I knew, I probably looked like a prostitute or something.

"Ma'am?" he asked, wary of who I was. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes!" I yelled panicked. "Officer Whitcomb, please, I need your help! There's been an incident!"

"Whoa, calm down, miss," Officer Whitcomb said. "What's the problem?"

As calmly as I could, I explained everything to Officer Whitcomb. I started with the date and talked about what had almost happened to me, and how my friend was being hurt at the same time I was speaking to him. When I had finished, the old man looked at me with unbelieving eyes.

"Listen, miss," he said. "If you're trying to be funny, lying to a uniformed officer is not the way to go about it."

What? How could he not believe me? He has to believe me…I _will_ make him believe me. Grabbing onto his sleeve, I looked directly at his face.

"Sir, please, I'm begging you," I pleaded with a choked voice. "You have to believe me. Someone I care about is in great danger, and if you don't come with me right now, I might lose him. Please, you must come with me. You have to help me, please. I'm not lying."

As more salty tears rolled down my face, I looked straight into Officer Whitcomb's tired blue eyes. He still seemed skeptical about my story, but I guess my tears softened his tight face. He sighed and turned towards the waitress, Francine, who was standing a few feet away.

"Francine, hold that coffee!" he shouted as he stood up from his seat. "I have to take care of something."

Oh, my God! He's coming with me! I convinced him, and he's going to help me! A small smile began to form in the corners of my mouth as that realization came to me.

"Okay, miss," he said. "Where is your friend?"

"Winchester Park," I answered quickly. "We have to hurry."

"Alright, let's take the cruiser."

With that said, we made our way towards his police car, which was parked a few feet away.

In a matter of minutes, we arrived at the park. Once Officer Whitcomb put the car in park, I jumped out of the police car, slammed the door, and ran into the park, hoping and praying that I would make it back to Alvin in time. Even though Officer Whitcomb wasn't a young man anymore, he was still able to follow me. Of course, I did hear him stop occasionally to catch his breath, but he kept up with me and wasn't far behind.

I ran through the park swiftly, looking in every direction for the same tree where I had left Alvin to fight off Colin. I flinched again thinking about Alvin and what he had done for me. When I looked straight ahead, I saw the tree.

"Right here!" I shouted, making my way towards the tree.

As I got closer to my destination, I noticed there was something different about the spot. That's when I realized how bare it was. There was no one there, or at least I thought there wasn't. That's when I looked and saw a limp body lying down on the ground beside the tree.

"Oh, my God!" I yelled

Running at full speed, I came closer and closer to the tree, hoping it wasn't the person I thought it was on the ground. However, when I saw that red cap, my heart dropped to my stomach. I knew exactly who it was.

"Alvin!" I screamed fearfully.

Finally reaching the tree, I crouched down beside Alvin's almost lifeless figure and checked his injures. I traced my finger around his eyes, which were now black, blue, and swollen. His lip was busted and bleeding, and there were many cuts and bruises on his cheeks. His nose was still dripping out blood, and I guessed that it must have been broken.

Tears ran down my face as I touched the side of his face with my palm.

He felt so…cold. I shuddered at the thought, but I couldn't believe Alvin was dead. I just couldn't.

"Alvin," I said. "Can you hear me?"

He didn't respond to my touch or to my voice. I really started to panic.

"Alvin, wake up," I said a little louder. "It's me, Brittany."

There was still no response. No…No! Don't you die on me Alvin Seville! Don't you dare! Though I had faith he wasn't gone, I feared that I might have been too late. I knew there was only one way to check and see if was still alive.

Swallowing hard, I placed my ear over his chest, trying to listen for a sign of life, telling me he was still breathing. I couldn't make out anything at first, which made me panic even more. Alvin, please…you can't give in…I need you.

Then, there it was.

_THUMP, THUMP…THUMP, THUMP…_

He's alive…oh, god! Alvin's alive! Even though his heartbeat was very slow and weak, he was still hanging on. He was never the kind to give up, and at that moment, I was sure glad he wasn't. I cried on his chest, thankful that he was at least breathing.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approach me. A raspy gasp came from his mouth, and I didn't have to guess who it was.

"Damn," a scratchy voice said. "You weren't kidding."

I looked up to see Officer Whitcomb standing over me with shock in his eyes.

"No, sir," I said, tears still running down my face. "Please, call for backup and an ambulance. Please, hurry!"

"Will do," he said grabbing his walkie-talkie and walked away.

I looked back at Alvin, my fear subsiding a tiny bit. I rubbed my fingers through his hair, and spoke softly.

"Stay with me, Alvin," I said. "You're going to be okay."

I prayed with all my life that those words would be true, and with that prayer came another waterfall of tears.

Moments later, the ambulance finally arrived. The paramedics immediately jumped off the vehicle, gurney in hands, and began going to work. They placed Alvin on the gurney and put the gurney into the back of the ambulance. After giving Officer Whitcomb my police report on Colin and thanking him for all that he had done, I quickly got into the back of the ambulance with the medics, and we made our way to the hospital.

During the ride, not once did I take my eyes off of Alvin. I waited for another sign of life to come, I waited for him to open his eyes and say something sarcastic like he always did. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened.

Please be okay. You just have to be okay. Those thoughts continued to race through my head as the medics took Alvin off of the ambulance and immediately into the Emergency Room. I however was escorted to the waiting room, forced to stay there while they did God knows what to Alvin. I knew it was the doctors' job to take care of him, but I still wanted to be there beside him.

Once in the waiting room, I called Dave and Miss Miller and told them everything that had happened. Dave almost had a heart attack when I told him. He didn't even hang up the phone as I heard him yell at Theodore to drop his spatula and get in the car. Miss Miller was very worried also. She told me she would be there as soon as possible. When I called Simon, who I knew was on a date with my sister, he was practically speechless. In fact, he didn't even say goodbye as he hung up his phone.

Thirty minutes later, Dave and Theodore burst through the doors of the waiting room. Theodore was the first one to notice me as he ran over towards me with Dave trailing not far behind. Getting out of the seat I had been sitting in, I ran over towards them.

Meeting them halfway, I wrapped my arms around Dave's waist and began sobbing.

"I'm…so sorry, D-Dave," I cried. "This is all my fault. I should have listened to Alvin. If I had, none of this would have happened."

"Shh, Brittany, calm down," Dave said soothingly as he patted my back. "It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. Alvin was just protecting you, and lucky he did, too. Who knows what that guy would have done to you if Alvin wasn't there."

Though I knew Dave was only trying to help, his comforting did nothing to stop the tears as they continued to come. Then, the waiting room doors opened again, revealing Jeanette and Simon.

"Brittany!" my sister yelled as she ran towards me.

Letting go of Dave's waist and extending my arms out by my sides, I allowed my sister to take me in her tight embrace. I heard her light sobs as she held me close to her.

"Thank goodness, you're okay," she whispered.

"I'm fine, Jean," I said, letting go of her, "but it's not me you should be worried about."

"How is he?" I heard Simon ask me, his face forlorn.

"I don't know. I haven't heard anything yet."

Hearing my answer, Simon sighed as he looked down at his feet, his face falling even lower than before. I approached him slowly and lightly grazed his arm with my fingers.

"I'm sorry, Si," I said. "You must hate my guts."

Simon looked back up at me, and I noticed the tears that were foaming in his eyes. I expected him to be upset. Hell, I expected him to be angry with me, but to my surprise, Simon just wrapped his arms around my shoulders and brought me close into a hug. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I hesitantly hugged him back.

"I'm glad you're safe, Brittany," he said. "I could never hate you for something you have no control over."

Letting go, I looked at him and smiled a little.

"Thanks," I said.

Simon returned my smile just as the waiting room doors opened for a third time. I looked at the doors and saw my mother and my baby sister, Eleanor, hastily making their way over to us.

"Brittany Miller, don't you ever scare me like that again!" Miss Miller shouted at me angrily.

Walking over to my mother, I wrapped my arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry, Miss Miller," I said.

Miss Miller hugged me back, sighing as she said, "I'm so glad you're not hurt. I knew that Calvin fellow was no good from the minute you told me about him."

"His name was Colin, Miss Miller," Eleanor corrected, "and I have to agree that he didn't sit right with me either."

"Same here," Jeanette agreed.

Breaking free of Miss Miller's hug, I looked around at the familiar faces of my friends and family and began sobbing again. I could tell from their expressions that they were all extremely worried about Alvin, and I knew that nothing would have happened if I weren't such a smartass.

"This is all my fault," I cried. "I'm so, so sorry, everyone, especially to you, Dave. I put your eldest son in the hospital, all because I was too stubborn. I hate myself for what I've done, and I'll never forgive myself for it."

"Brittany, dear, none of this is your fault," Miss Miller.

"Yeah, you didn't know Colin was a jerk," Jeanette added.

"You didn't know what he was planning," Eleanor continued.

"I should have known," I whispered.

Suddenly, the doors leading to the Emergency Room opened. I, along with the rest of my family and friends, looked up to see a tall, lean young woman with black hair and green eyes, dressed in white with a clipboard in her hand and stethoscope hanging from her neck, walk into the waiting room.

"Excuse me," she said with a light, song like voice. "Is there anyone here for Alvin Seville?"

Alvin…she has news about Alvin! I perked up slightly from the mention of Alvin's name.

"We are," Dave said referring to the group. "I'm Dave Seville, Alvin Seville's father."

The woman walked over to us, took Dave's hand and said friendly, "Hello, I'm Dr. Rolland, and I must say, your son is a tough kid."

"How is he?" Theodore asked worriedly. "I'm his brother."

"Is he alright?" Simon asked. "I'm his brother too."

Dr. Rolland let go of Dave's hand and looked at every person in the group. She almost seemed to look at me the longest before continuing with her news.

"Well, whoever this guy was that your son fought with packed a very hard punch. The blows were hard enough to break his nose, which caused him to lose a lot of blood. His eyes are swollen pretty bad, but not enough to temporarily blind him. A couple of his ribs are broken, but his cuts and bruises will heal with time."

"So, he's fine?" Dave asked. "He'll pull through?"

Dr. Roland sighed, and I couldn't help but feel as if she was hiding something from us.

"It's hard to tell right now," she explained. "His pulse is very weak, and he's still in surgery at the moment. His blood loss is what caused him to lose consciousness, and…"

She paused for a minute before going on.

"…and I'm afraid if he doesn't wake up soon, he may fall into a coma, which will cause him to be at risk of never waking up."

My breath caught in my throat upon hearing those last few words. Alvin might not…wake up? No, no, no! This can't be happening! Alvin has to wake up! He just has to!

I looked to see Dave, Simon and Theodore with shocked and scared looks on their faces. Both Simon and Theodore were on the verge of tears, and Dave just appeared utterly speechless.

"I'm really sorry about this," Dr. Rolland's said remorsefully. "Believe me, we're doing all we can to help him."

Dave was silent for a long moment before taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"Will you keep us updated on his condition?" Dave asked the doctor.

All Dr. Rolland could do was nod her head in reply. Then, with a slow turn of her heel, she made her way back into the Emergency Room. Once she passed through the doors, I fell down to my knees and cried my eyes out, hiding my face in my hands.

Oh, God! What have I done? I hurt the one person who was willing to do anything for me, to protect me…to love me. Recalling the image of Alvin telling me he loved me made me sob harder. I'm such a monster!

At that moment, I felt warms arms begin to wrap around my shoulders, and I didn't protest as I was brought close to someone's chest. From the smell of the perfume, I knew it was Miss Miller who was trying to console me.

"Shh, it's okay, sweetheart," Miss Miller's gentle voice whispered. "It's going to be okay."

She repeated that phrase over and over again, trying her best to calm me down. However, it had no effect on me. I cried and sobbed harder and harder, knowing that I was the worst person in the entire world and deserved to go to hell. God…what have I done?


	12. Deceiving Dreams

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hey everyone. So…I am so, so, so, so, so, so, SOOOOOO sorry it took me so long on this chapter. Not only did I have final exams to study for, but also I've been overcoming some major writer's block. No need to worry though. I'm back, and I hope to have the next chapter up sooner. Anyway, I hope you guys are completely mad at me. Enjoy chapter twelve! Also, Happy Holidays to you and your families!**

**Chapter Twelve: Deceiving Dreams**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

_Waking up from my long, peaceful sleep, I opened my eyes only half way. My vision was still blurry so I decided to close them again, and with a soft groan, I rolled over from my right side onto my slightly aching back. After stretching my arms over my head and letting out a small yawn, I placed them on either side of me, smacking my lips together as I did so. I stretched out my fingers and clenched them tightly, grabbing whatever was underneath me. I expected to feel my soft cushioned mattress clutched in my hands, but to my surprise, I didn't have my mattress in them. In fact, there was something crinkly and brittle in my hands. It felt almost like…grass?_

_With a puzzled expression, I slowly opened my eyes again, trying to figure out what was in my hands. However, a very bright light blinded my sight, causing me to turn my head away and cover my eyes with my hand._

"_What the hell?" I asked groggily._

_Keeping my hand over my face, I opened my eyes again. I looked up to find the source of the light, and right above me, the bright yellow sun shined down on me, warming my tan colored skin. Wait…the sun? That can't be right. I fell asleep in my room. Didn't I? How could the sun be shining in my eyes? What's going on?_

_Sitting up, I looked around at my surroundings. A small gasp escaped my lips when I realized I wasn't in my bedroom. I was sitting in a field of long grass and wild flowers, and a gentle breeze came through, making the grass and flowers sway back and forth and giving me tiny goose bumps. Now, I was really confused._

"_Where am I?" I whispered, still looking around._

_Getting to my feet, I continued to stare at the scene before me. I brushed off the excess grass from my clothes, and when I looked down, my eyes grew wide. I wasn't wearing my spaghetti strap, knee length nightgown. Instead, I had on a red polo shirt, denim shorts, and sandals…just like I wore on that day. The day I was suppose to hang out with Alvin at the park. This really didn't make sense. Why was I wearing these clothes?_

"_What the hell is going on around here?" I asked myself aloud._

"_Brittany!" I heard a voice yell._

_I jumped out of my skin upon hearing the voice. I wasn't expecting anyone else to be in this place, yet there was someone here calling my name. This was getting stranger and stranger by the second._

"_Brittany!" the voice yelled again._

_Wait a minute…that voice. I knew that voice, that all too familiar voice. Could it be him? Could it really and truly be him? I sucked in a deep breath, and turned to the sound of his voice. My heart stopped and my eyes grew to the size of tennis balls when I saw who was calling me. Oh, my God…it's him._

"_Alvin?" I whispered._

_Standing only a few yards away from me, Alvin, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, waved his arm enthusiastically. A huge grin was plastered on his face has he called out to me._

"_Brittany, over here!" he shouted, waving his arm._

_I stared at Alvin in disbelief. How could this be? How could he be standing there, beckoning me to him? It was…impossible, but at that moment, I didn't care. Alvin was here. He was calling my name. He wanted me! _

_As the corners of my mouth turned up into a smile, my legs began to pull me forward. Before I knew it, I was running towards him._

"_Alvin!" I screamed happily._

_Making my way through the long grass and flowers, my eyes never left Alvin, and I soon noticed him running towards me too. I ran as fast as I could, pushing my legs beyond their limits. The distance between us grew smaller and smaller, and soon, I was swooped up into Alvin's arms. He lifted me up by the waist and spun me round, making me to giggle like crazy._

_When Alvin finished spinning me around, he set me down on my feet gently and used his arms to pull me close to him. His touch was so warm and loving. I couldn't believe he was really here, holding me and talking to me. It was so unreal. _

_Placing my hands on either side of his face, I looked deeply into his ocean blue eyes. They sparkled in the sunlight, and his skin was incredibly soft. I instantly felt a blush overcome my cheeks. Wow, he was so gorgeous, and my breath was completely taken away._

"_Alvin," I whispered, caressing his cheek with my thumb. "I thought I would never see you again."_

"_It's okay, Brittany," he whispered through his smile, holding me against his chest. "I'm here. I'll always be here."_

_With those words, my smile grew even more. I loved hearing him say that. It made me the happiest girl in the world. Feeling my blush coming back again, I looked away from him and was surprised by what I saw in the distance. _

_Standing in that field of long grass and wild flowers, I gasped as I watched the once yellow sun turn orange and begin to set. The sky was painted in a dark pink tint, and I couldn't help but think how beautiful it looked._

"_Alvin," I whispered looking back him and letting go of his face. "It's so beautiful."_

_Alvin only smiled at me as he brought his hand up and lightly grazed my cheek with his fingers. My skin tingled as he placed his palm on my cheek, and I unthinkingly laid my head in his hand. He was so warm. I never wanted to be away from him._

"_Not as beautiful as you," he whispered back._

_After saying that, Alvin began leaning in close to me. I knew what was coming, and I slowly closed my eyes as his lips met mine. The warm feeling of his lips on mine was so wonderful. Shivers of pleasure ran down my spine, and I could feel my legs begin to weaken. When he pulled away, I whimpered a little, already missing the amazing feeling. Alvin must have heard me because he chuckled softly_

_Taking my hands in his, he looked me straight in the eye, and said, "I love you, Brittany. I love you with all my heart."_

_Tears began to brim my eyelids when I heard Alvin say that. My heart was overfilled with joy, and nothing could possibly spoil this absolutely perfect moment._

_However, before I could tell Alvin how I felt about him, the sound of thunder broke our intimate setting. A little worried, I looked up at the sky to see that the once pink sky was now filled with dark clouds. Lighting began to brighten the black sky followed by the sound of heavy thunder. In that instant, I knew something was wrong._

"_Alvin, what's happening?" I asked my voice filled with fear._

_I looked back, expecting to see Alvin still standing in front of me, but I gasped when I saw that Alvin was gone. He disappeared…vanished without a trace. Oh, no. This isn't good…not good at all._

"_Alvin?" I whispered, scared out of my mind._

_I turned my head in all different directions as more lightning continued to light the sky, frantically searching for the man I loved. What could have happened to Alvin? How could he have just disappeared like that? He said we would always be there for me. He couldn't have just left me here._

"_Alvin!" I screamed anxiously._

_Thunder and lightning continued to crash down towards the Earth louder and brighter than ever before. I knew I couldn't just stay in one place, especially when Alvin..._my_ Alvin was out there somewhere. I had to find him, before the storm got worse. With that thought, I began walking through the long grass in search of my love._

"_Alvin!" I screamed again as loud as I could._

_I looked up to see the clouds were coated in a pure charcoal color, and I swallowed hard, really not liking the scene above me. I knew I had to get out of the open, but how could I? There was nowhere for me to go, and Alvin was nowhere in sight. Why did he leave me? I thought he loved me. God, I had to find him before I lost it._

"_Alvin!" I yelled, continuing my search the red-capped chipmunk._

_I made my way through the long grass, each step making a loud, crunchy noise under my feet. That's when I noticed just how different the scene around me really was. The green, healthy grass was now brown and sickly looking, and the wildflowers were limp and wilted, completely drained of color and spirit. I didn't understand. How could such a beautiful place become a death zone so quickly? Whatever the reason, I didn't want to stay and find out._

"_Alvin, where are you?" I asked nervously. "I need you."_

_I continued my walk through the valley of death as another lightning bolt came down from the gloomy sky. Suddenly, the ground underneath me began to shake, causing me to lose my balance. Oh man, this _definitely_ wasn't good. _

_The earthquake shook more violently and fiercely, and without warning, a blast of scolding hot steam blew up from below. I screamed as the steam burnt my skin, and I looked down, with fear and pain in my eyes, to see a large crack beginning to form in the ground between my legs. I watched in horror as the crack started getting bigger and wider, spreading my legs even farther apart._

"_Damn it!" I cried._

_I lifted my right leg from the other side, trying my best to keep my footing steady. However, the earthquake was so brutal and intense that when I tried to place my leg behind me, my foot slipped, and I fell backwards onto my back. Lifting my head up, I saw that the tear was breaking apart even wider, but I choked on my breath when I saw a hand emerge from the Earth._

"_Dear God," I choked._

_My heart pounded crazily like a drum in my chest as I frantically used my legs and arms to push myself away from the break. My ears were filled with the maniacal laughter of the creature as it rose from what I could only guess was Hell. When the creature finally showed itself, the ground stopped shaking, and shock overtook me as I gazed upon the monster before me._

_It had the appearance of a man, only twice as large and muscular. Its hands were huge with elongated fingers and claws like knifes, and a long, snakelike tail curled around from its behind. I couldn't see its face because there was no light to shine on it, but I could clearly see short, yet very sharp horns protruding from its head. Horror raced through out my veins as the corners of creature's mouth pulled into an evil grin and a dark, low chuckle crept out of its lip, sending chills of fear down my spine._

"_Oh, God," I whispered. "It's…_him_. It's the devil."_

_Another chuckle came out of the devil's mouth as he said, in a low and intimidating voice, "You stupid little girl. The master is not aloud to leave hell, but his minions are, of course."_

"_What…what do you want from me?" I choked, continuing to back away from the devil's servant._

"_Isn't it obvious, my dear?" he asked evilly, taking a few steps towards me. "You are a man's perfect slut. The only thing you are meant for is to give men pleasure, and it's time that you realized it."_

_I gasped in pure panic, knowing for a fact that there was only one person I've met who believed in using women. It was the very same person who nearly took advantage of me long ago. No…no! It can't be!_

"_C-Colin…" I stuttered._

_A deep growl snarled from the back of the monster's throat as he stepped even closer to me and the lightning cracked down, casting a light straight onto the minion. That's when I saw that familiar, dangerous, and true monster of a man with those same dark and evil chocolate brown eyes that burned with fury and rage._

"_So, you are a smart little bitch after all, aren't you?" he said angrily. "It doesn't matter though. You'll be mine soon anyway."_

_My body shook violently, and I hysterically started getting to my feet. I had to get out of here! But, just as I got on my feet, a sudden pain shot through out my entire right leg, making me scream bloody hell and fall back onto the ground. I looked at my leg to see a sharp object, what looked like a knife, poking out of my skin, blood oozing out from the wound._

"_You're not escaping me this time, bitch," I heard Colin say crazily._

_Reaching out with my arms, I began crawling away desperately trying to escape from this mad man's power, but hearing the footsteps behind me get closer and closer, I knew I couldn't get away. Then, something hard hit my spine, knocking the breath out of me and keeping me from moving any further. I moved my head up to see Colin's knee crushing my back into the ground._

"_No!" I cried panicking. "No! This can't be happening! Alvin, where are you?"_

_I tried my best to squirm myself free, but Colin's knee pressed down harder against me. Then, all of a sudden, my shoulders were slammed down to the ground, which made me release a loud grunt of torment. I tried to move again, but Colin kept me pinned down. Damn it! I'm doomed!_

"_Alvin!" I screamed, hoping and praying he would come to my rescue._

_A dark chuckle came from above, and more pressure was added to my shoulders. Soon, I felt the monster's hot breath on my neck and ear._

"_You pathetic whore," he whispered wickedly. "You're _little Alvin _is not coming to save you. After all, he _is_ dead."_

_When I heard those words, I immediately stopped squirming and trying to escape. The pain in my back and shoulders faded away, and my entire body went numb. The only pain that hit me hard was in my chest. My heart shattered into a million pieces as warm tears began to fall down my cheeks. Alvin was dead?_

"_No!" I sobbed. "He can't be! He just can't be!"_

"_Oh, but he is," Colin continued menacingly, "and it's all your fault."_

All your fault_..._all your fault_…those three simple words were absolutely horrifying, and they echoed in my ear. More tears streamed down my face and the pain in my heart tripled._

"_NO!" I screamed. "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! YOU LIAR!"_

_I felt my shoulders being picked up by the razor like claws of the horrible monster, then slammed back down again, harder and faster, knocking the breath out of me once again. I knew my shoulders were bleeding out, but I didn't care. The only pain I could feel was in my heart. Alvin couldn't be dead! It couldn't have been my fault!_

"_Shut the hell up, bitch," I heard Colin say. "Now, be a good girl and give me what I want."_

_With that famous line delivered by the monster, I knew exactly what was coming, and in no time at all, my clothes were being ripped off of me._

"_ALVIN!" I cried._

_As my clothes were being torn to shreds, all I could think about was Alvin. I wanted Alvin to appear out of nowhere and rescue me. I wanted him to save me from this nightmare…this hideous monster. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life…but that wasn't going to happen. Alvin was gone…he wasn't coming back…there's no more hope left for me…it's over._

_At that moment, I could no longer fight as Colin began to take advantage of me._

"_NO!" I yelled, knowing it was too late._

I shot my eyes up and sat up straight, sweat pouring down my face and my breathing heavy and labored. Looking around, I realized I wasn't in that field of death anymore. I was in my pink colored bedroom, sitting in my bed, wearing the nightgown I had slipped on before bed, with my pink shaded covers gone askew. When my breathing finally slowed down, I combed my tangled, sweaty hair out of my face with my fingers and lay back down on my bed, exhaling a sigh of relief and frustration.

This was absolutely ridiculous. Every night for the past month, I kept having the same dream over and over again. It would always start out so wonderful and happy, and then the nightmare began when that son of a bitch came and ruined everything. I can't believe I ever trusted that jackass. My hand tightened into a hard fist as I thought about how stupid I was for trusting him. God, I hated him so much.

However, my grip lightened because I knew I was still afraid of him. Chills of fear ran down my back as I thought about that terrible night. He was so strong and powerful, and he used no effort to push me up against that tree and take off my underwear. Colin was a crazy, out of control, and dangerous man who received a sick pleasure from taking advantage of innocent women. He deserved to be lock away in a cold jail cell for the rest of his life. Right now, however, that was a difficult challenge.

The good news was that Officer Whitcomb found out about Colin's police record. He told me Colin was a wanted rapist in at least two states, and the police have been looking for him for at least six months. That's where the bad news came in. Colin was an expert at not getting caught. An entire month had past since that miserable night, and Officer Whitcomb and his men had not been able to find him yet. He was still out there somewhere, hurting another innocent girl. I just really hoped that wasn't the case, and I really and truly prayed that the police wouldn't give up their search. I wanted that jerk off found and locked away forever.

In an attempt to control my fear, I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. I turned onto my side and opened my eyes again. My alarm clock's bright light caught my attention. It was 2:30 in the morning. Damn it. This awful nightmare was depriving me of sleep. I really hated this.

Knowing I needed my sleep, I began to turn around to my other side. However, I was stopped when a certain picture frame caught my eye. I stared at it for a whole minute before leaning close to my dresser and turning on my pink lamp. The light from the lamp gave my bedroom a comfortable pink glow. My tired eyes never left the picture that sat on my dresser as I reached over and took it in my hands, sitting up in my bed Indian style.

I gazed at the picture of Alvin and me at the 8th grade dance for a long time, my eyes lingering more on Alvin then on my own self. I let go of one side of the frame and traced my finger on the cool glass, remembering that night so well. Alvin was there for me. He comforted me when I really needed it. He held me close…and made me feel safe, but after what happened with Colin that night…he would never be able to keep me safe again…not anymore.

Tears formed on the brims of my eyes, and I couldn't stop them as they fell onto the glass of my picture. A month had past since Alvin was admitted into the hospital…and exactly three weeks and six days since he fell into a coma. When Dr. Rolland had told us the news, my world spiraled out of control. I broke down right after she told me, my family, Dave, Simon and Theodore. No pain I had ever felt in my lifetime could compare to what I was feeling.

I sniffled a little, thinking about all that I did in those three weeks and six days. Everyday, I visited him, told him about my day, told him that I missed him, and hoped to see him open his eyes, letting me know he would be okay. I stayed with him for hours, waiting, and at the end of each day, when nothing happened, my heart broke even more, and I cried even harder.

More tears fell down onto the picture frame like a waterfall. It was my fault. I didn't believe Alvin when he warned me about Colin. If I hadn't left with Colin, he wouldn't have taken advantage of me…Alvin wouldn't have come to my rescue…and he would still be awake.

My chest ached in heartbreak, and I held the picture close to my heart to ease the pain. Alvin wouldn't have been put into a coma because of me. At this moment, he wouldn't be at risk of dying if it wasn't for me. I wouldn't be living in fear of losing the one I loved! It's all my fault! I'm an ungrateful, selfish, and arrogant human being who deserves to go to Hell for hurting the one she loves! Devil, take me now! I deserve to die!

As more tears fell, the pain grew twice as much. I fell onto my side, tightening my grip around the picture frame.

"All my fault," I sobbed silently.

I cried my eyes out and repeated that phrase over and over again until I finally fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	13. Breaking Down

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Oh…uh…hey guys, long time, no see. Okay, I know what you're all thinking…Where the heck have I been the last few months, and why haven't I been updating any of my stories? Well, to be honest, school has been REALLY hectic this semester, and I've been so busy that I just haven't had time to think about my stories. The good news is that in six weeks, I will be free to write all the chapters you guys want! Well, anyway, it just occurred to me that this chapter is LONG overdue, so I won't keep you guys waiting any longer. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Thirteen: Breaking Down**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

I could feel myself beginning to stir from my slumber, eventually seeing nothing but pure darkness where dreams and images once were. I was fully aware that I had awakened from my night's sleep, though exhaustion continued to come at me hard, telling me to stay in bed. I sighed mentally, thinking if only I could. I would rather do that than face another day.

After all, what was the point of facing the day? I already knew what would happen. I would go to the hospital to see Alvin, stay with him, and wait to see his ocean blue eyes open for the first time in a month. Yes…I already knew what would happen…nothing…nothing would happen. I would wait and wait, hoping and praying he would pull through, and at the end of each day…he never did. He never opened his eyes, never spoke to me…he never did anything…never.

I clenched my eyes tightly, recalling how many times I had prayed to God in the last month, how I had screamed to the heavens and begged for Alvin to come back to Earth and be with his family again…and be with me again. However, every single one went unanswered when no improvement showed. God would ignore my cry for help, probably punishing me for what I had done to Alvin…for nearly killing him.

Holding back the tears, I tighten my eyelids even more. I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump that had started to form in my throat. At that moment, I knew I didn't want to open my eyes and wake up. I didn't want to go through another day of this torment, the torment of waiting for something to happen, for something to change…for a miracle. All I wanted to do was stay in bed for the rest my life, never leaving the sanctity of the pink blanketed cocoon I had wrapped myself in.

But, I knew I couldn't do that. I couldn't avoid what was to come. That would make me weak, and right now, I had to be strong. I had to be strong for Dave, Simon, and Theodore. I had to be strong for Miss Miller, Jeanette, and Eleanor. Most of all…I had to be strong for Alvin. He would never want to see me in so much pain.

As much as I didn't want to, I forced my eyes open, letting the morning sun greet me for the first time today. I swiftly shifted my eyes in different directions, observing my surroundings. My room was a little cluttered and messy with shoes and clothes spread out all over the floor. I haven't cleaned my room in weeks, but with everything that's happened, I didn't really care enough to actually straighten anything up. I also noticed how much sunlight was pouring into my bedroom. Was it still morning? How long had I been sleeping?

As I began to sit up, I stretched out my aching arms and arched my back slightly, making a small popping sound as I did so. I rubbed my eyes in an attempt to get the sleep out of them. I could feel the monstrous bags that had formed under my eyes from lack of a good and full night's sleep. Ugh, stupid nightmares. Why can't they just go away?

After rubbing my eyes, I put my arms down, laying my hands down on my mattress. It was then I felt something cold and hard under my right hand. Without looking down, I lightly traced the tips of my fingers along the cold, smooth surface, knowing for a fact that it was glass. I couldn't deny it, for I knew exactly what this glassy object was. I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, and let it out, preparing myself for what I was going to see.

Finally looking down, my picture frame, containing that same picture of Alvin and me, was laying beside me, almost completely covered by my hand. I'm surprised it didn't fall off my bed when I fell back to sleep last night. Slowly lifting my hand up, I took the picture frame in my hand and stared straight at it, once again letting the memories flood back into my mind for the umpteenth time. Though the glass was stained salty from my episode earlier that night, the picture remained very clear.

God…what happened to us? Alvin and I were so happy then, never thinking that anything bad could happen to either of us, that we would always be there for each other…always. Then…then this happened. I got so angry with him. I thought I didn't need him, and that I had found someone better…but I was wrong. No one could ever replace Alvin Seville. He risked his life to save my own. No one would have ever done that for me…not like Alvin. The thought that…he might…might not…come back…just…just…

I choked back more tears as another lump began to form in my throat. I quickly closed my eyes and turned my head away from the picture. I knew I had to. If I stared at it any longer, I would surely burst into tears. I didn't want to cry…at least not right now. So, without looking at the picture, I stretched over and placed the picture frame back onto my dresser. Then, I brought my knees up to my chin, wrapping my arms around my legs and bringing them close to my chest.

I closed my eyes and began praying to God once more, letting him know that I needed his help. I knew that there was a chance my prayer would go unanswered again, but I couldn't stop trying. I needed something to keep me going through this, and God was the closest thing I had at that moment.

"God," I whispered to myself, "I need you now more than ever. I know I haven't been as faithful as I could have been, but I really need your help. I hurt Alvin deeply. I put him into a coma, and I'm truly afraid that he might not ever wake up. Please don't let him die, God. I need Alvin more than you can imagine. He's my best friend…my constant companion…my…heart and soul. Please God, let him wake up soon, and please forgive me for my sin."

Suddenly, a soft knock came from my bedroom door. I didn't move a single muscle as I opened my eyes and stared straight at the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's us, Brittany," A light voice, which I recognized as Jeanette's, said from behind the door. "May we come in?"

I lightly shook my head, not the least bit surprised that my sisters had come to check on me. They both knew I was having a hard time coping with Alvin's condition, and they knew that I was blaming myself for what happened to him. So, every morning since the accident, the two of them came into my room to see how I was feeling. I knew they meant well, and I knew they wanted to help me and make me feel better. But no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't make me happy. I would never be happy again…not until I saw Alvin's eyes open.

After muttering a quick "amen," I uncurled from my position, turned to my left side, and let my legs dangle off the side of my bed before saying, "Sure, come in."

With a loud creek, the door slowly opened revealing Jeanette, wearing a purple t-shirt and jeans, followed closely behind by Eleanor, wearing a light green blouse and skirt. Once inside my room, they closed the door behind them and walked towards me. They both, then, sat on my bed, Jeanette on my right and Eleanor on my left. Keeping my eyes to the floor, I waited for one of them to start speaking.

"How are you feeling?" Jeanette asked, breaking the ice first.

Turning my head to look at her, I replied, "About the same."

Letting out a small sigh, Jeanette looked down at my right hand and then took it in hers, giving it a tight squeeze. I could tell by the look on her face that my typical answer had hurt her again. She didn't even give me a small smile letting me know she understood my feelings. I looked back down to the floor, ashamed of myself for causing my little sister such horrible pain.

"Did you sleep well?" I heard Eleanor ask.

I kept my eyes firmly on the ground as I shook my head subtly from side to side, telling my sister that my night was restless once again. Not only couldn't I bare seeing Jeanette hurt, it nearly broke my heart to even think about how much pain poor Eleanor was in. Damn it…I'm such a terrible person for hurting my baby sisters like this.

It was then that I felt something snake its way around my other hand. When I felt a light squeeze, I knew it must have been Eleanor's hand that caught my own. Though the motion was intended to be comforting, it only made me feel worse. Here were my poor sisters, trying so hard to help me and pick up some of the broken pieces of my heart, and here I was, shutting them out because I knew it was hopeless. No matter what they did to help me, I just couldn't be happy…not even for them.

"Was it the nightmare again?" Jeanette asked me.

A nod was my only response, and soon, I could feel arms wrap around my waist and heads lay down on my shoulders. The lump in my throat started to come back again as my sisters held me. They had absolutely no idea how much this truly killed me inside. I really hated making them feel so helpless and weak, but what I hated more than anything…was myself.

Everything that's been going on, all this pain I was inflicting on my poor sweet baby sisters…it was all because of me. I was a stupid, heartless, insensitive, stubborn bitch who cared only about herself, and I hurt the one person willing to do anything for me. Not only did I hurt him, I hurt his family. His family was in an immense amount of pain because of what I did. God…what a rotten excuse for a person I was.

I turned my head to look at Jeanette and then to Eleanor before saying, "Guys…I'm so sorry. This…this whole thing is my fault."

"Brittany," Jeanette replied as she lifted her head up to look at me, "Eleanor and I have told you a million times. What happened to Alvin was not your fault."

My eyes shot wide open from hearing my sister say it wasn't my fault. I couldn't believe she would say that. I knew she was just trying to take the blame away from me, but even she knew that Alvin's condition was my fault. There was no way she could deny that fact. As a surge of rage pulsed through my entire body, I ruthlessly pushed my sisters away from me and got out of my bed.

"Yes it is, Jeanette!" I yelled as I walked away for my bed.

After a few steps, I quickly turned on my heels and continued screaming, "I should have listened to Alvin! If I hadn't of been so damn proud and full of myself, I never would have met that lying son of a bitch, Colin, and gone on that date with him! I mean, how could I have been so stupid? I fell right into his trap, just like the rest of them!"

"You were just upset, Brittany," Eleanor said calmly. "Whatever happened between you and Alvin that day must have really hurt you, and you didn't know Colin was a…"

"But I should have!" I interrupted, watching my sister cower in fear. "I should have known what he really was! I should have believed Alvin when he told me at the restaurant! I never would have gone out with that asshole if I had just believed him! I should have listened to him! Why didn't I? WHY?

"Brittany, please stop shouting," Jeanette said frightened. "You were upset with him. Granted I don't know why you were, but you were still upset. It was only natural that you didn't…"

"No, Jeanette! It wasn't natural! It was bitchy! B-I-T-C-H-Y, BITCHY! Now, Alvin is laying in a damn hospital bed because of me, because I was too angry and conceited to listen! I put him into a coma! I…I…"

It was at that moment when I knew I could no longer be strong. It was then that I fell to my knees and broke down, a waterfall of tears pouring down my cheeks. In a matter a seconds, my body grew weak, and I had become a weakling, unable to keep myself together anymore. I cried my heart out, and the pain once again flowed through me like a raging river. It hit me so hard that I could almost feel myself losing my breath as it came out in gasps.

"I killed him!" I sobbed into my hands. "I killed him!"

For a whole minute, there was silence. Not a single word was uttered in that long, agonizing instant in time. Then, the sound of feet shuffling along my pink-carpeted floor got my attention, and in no time at all, a pair of arms surrounded me and pulled me close until I was buried into someone's chest. I didn't realize whom it was that had pulled me into the embrace until she started speaking.

"Brittany, please calm down," Jeanette said as she ran her fingers through my messy hair and rubbed my back soothingly. "It's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

Before I could even utter a syllable, my sister started rocking me back and forth, trying as best she could to relieve my grief. I'm sorry to say that her attempt to comfort me didn't help in the least.

"N-no, it's not," I choked out as I grabbed a hold of her purple shirt. "How can a-anything be okay when Alvin's close to death?"

There was a sudden pat on my back, followed by a new voice, which I immediately recognized was Eleanor's, saying, "Brittany, we're all worried about Alvin. This is an awful situation for all of us, and though we worry about him, we also worry about you, and how this is tearing you apart."

Upon hearing that, I lifted my head slightly, sniffled, and stuttered, "W-W-What?"

"Brittany, you should hear Theodore when he calls me at night. He is scared about Alvin and whether he'll be okay, but he is also scared that you're going into a deep depression and may even consider hurting yourself."

"H-He is?" I asked, surprised that Theodore would even think about me that way.

"Simon thinks the exact same thing," Jeanette added. "I think he was a little mad at first, but after I told him how scarred you were by this, he's worried that you might do something drastic."

I looked up at my sister, completely shocked by what she had said. Even Simon thought that way? Theodore I could understand, but Simon? It seemed almost impossible.

"R-Really?" I asked, tears still running down my face.

"Of course, Brittany," Eleanor answered. "Your behavior is really scaring us."

"All of us," Jeanette continued. "We've never seen you so depressed before. We're really scared you might end up doing something you'll regret, and poor Miss Miller…she's broken hearted. She's even considering…"

Jeanette trailed off her sentence, and I watched as her eyes shifted to meet Eleanor's eyes. When I shifted my eyes to look at my baby sister, she looked down at me then back to Jeanette and quickly nodded her head. I didn't understand what the exchange meant, but I knew they weren't telling me something.

"What is Miss Miller considering?" I whispered, unsure whether I wanted to know the answer.

After taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Jeanette replied, "Miss Miller is considering sending you to a psychiatrist for therapy."

My eyes bugged out of my skull when I heard my sister say that. I could feel the lump in my throat come back, and with all my might, I tried to swallow it down. This time, however, it was here to stay. I just couldn't believe it. I mean I knew I wasn't happy, but I never imagined that I could be going down the wrong path, the one that led to eternal darkness and sorrow. Was I really losing my sanity? Did I really need help that badly?

"S-She…is?" I gulped.

"Yes, she is," Jeanette said. "She's not the only one who's been thinking about it. Eleanor and I…well…we think it's a good idea."

Listening to what Jeanette was saying, I pulled my body slowly and gently away from her chest. I thought about all the times I kept my feelings inside, shutting out everyone and everything around me. The gloomy faces of my sisters ran through my mind, remembering how I kept them out because I thought they couldn't help me. God…what was happening to me?

"Am…am I really falling in too deep?" I whispered to nobody in particularly.

"Brittany, please understand," Eleanor said. "Keeping these feelings you have inside you is not a good thing. I mean, look at what's happened to you right now. You need to talk to someone about this."

Hearing Eleanor say that and recalling my recent mental breakdown, I knew I couldn't deny the fact that she was right. There was no way I could handle all of this pressure on my own anymore. It was tearing me limb from limb, and if I didn't open my door and let anyone in now…I would be lost forever. I had to see someone, even if it was a shrink. I needed help…and soon.

"Do you…really think it might help?" I asked.

"It never hurts to try," Jeanette replied. "I know you wanted to do this on your own, but you have to remember that your mental health is important. I mean, what would Alvin say?

I sighed deeply and looked away from my sister's face. It didn't take a genius to know the answer to that question. After all, Alvin wouldn't want me to be in pain. He'd want me to be happy, no matter what happened to him. If he were here, he would want me to see someone, maybe even encourage me to see someone, if not for my family…then for him.

"He'd," I began, finally swallowing the lump in my throat, "he'd want me to see the psychiatrist. He wouldn't want me to be depressed over him…but I can't help that I am."

Jeanette grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her as she said, "Brittany, we love you, and we wouldn't be asking you to do this if we knew you were handling this situation. But we know this is hard for you. Will you please do this…for us…for Alvin?"

Knowing what had to be done, I slowly nodded my head, agreeing to meet the psychiatrist in the next few days, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, Jeanette's face went from gloomy and stressed to relieved and almost cheerful as she pulled me back to her chest and gave me a tight hug. I soon felt another pair of arms snake their way around me, and I knew Eleanor had joined in on the hug as well. I guess they thought I had made the right choice.

But to be honest with myself…I _knew_ I had made the right choice. My breakdown had proved that I couldn't be strong anymore. I needed this help. There was no point in denying that fact. I had to do it…for my family…for Alvin…and for myself.

After a full minute, my sisters and I had finally let go of each other and started getting to our feet. Jeanette pulled me up by my hands and helped me regain my balance as I looked over towards my alarm clock. It was almost noon, and visiting hours at the hospital had started nearly one hour ago.

"I guess you want to be at the hospital soon," Jeanette stated, still holding my hands.

"Yeah," I answered with a swift nod, "Visiting hours have already started, and I still need to get ready."

"Okay, well, we'll leave you to it then," Eleanor said.

With that comment, my sisters began to make their way towards the door, and Jeanette had let go of my hands. However, before they could even take a step, I quickly grabbed each one of my sisters' hands tightly, preventing them from taking their leave. They stopped dead in their tracks and stared at me curiously as I gave them a small smile. I think it was the first time in the last month that I had smiled.

"Guys…" I started to say. "…Thank you…I know I don't say it often, but…I'm really lucky to have you two as sisters. You're the best."

For the first time since they came into my bedroom, my sisters smiled back at me, and as they let go of my hands, they embraced me once more, squeezing me with all their might. We each mumbled a quick "I love you" to one another as we held each other close. Once we let go of one another, I watched as my amazing sisters left my room, and then, that's when I had realized something.

For the first time in what seemed like a decade, I actually felt a little better. I couldn't believe it, but I really did feel better. Of course, I wasn't happy yet, but I wasn't really sad either. I just felt…neutral…which was considered progress in my book.

With that in mind, I wrapped my arms around myself and glanced around my bedroom. I guess it was time for me to get ready for another day at the hospital. I headed towards my closet as one more thought crossed my mind.

Here we go…again.


	14. Awakening

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Greetings, my fellow writers! So, a couple of days ago, I made a promise that I would post at least one chapter for one of my stories before I went back to college. Here it is! A brand new chapter for all of you to read and enjoy! Also, like I said before, I'm going back to school soon, so I'll be busy. However, I assure you that I will still write, but only for one story. For the next few months, be on the lookout for updates on **_**The Squeakquel With A Twist**_**! Last thing, before you go on reading, I'm now a beta reader, so for all of you new writers, if you need any help, I would be more than happy to be of assistance. Just send me a message! Okay, enough talk, on with the story!**

**Chapter Fourteen: Awakening**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

Riding in my mother's ancient hot pink convertible, I stared out towards the neighborhood and watched as houses and little kids playing outside passed by my line of sight. Behind the wheel of the old car was Miss Miller, who was driving me to the hospital to see Alvin. The weather was warm and sunny without a single cloud in the sky, so Miss Miller decided to let the roof down and give both of us a nice, cool breeze to enjoy. The light wind blew the loose strands of my hair everywhere as the house and trees seemed to blend together into one huge and colorful image before my eyes. It really was a nice day, but I just didn't seem to take pleasure in the bright and beautiful day as much as I use to.

I looked away from the blurry picture to my lap and began tugging at the hem of my khaki shorts. I started pulling a loose string from the clothing, thinking that the trip to the hospital was way too quiet. Of course, I didn't expect anything different from the times before when Miss Miller drove me to and from places. Neither of us had been really talkative the past month. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to my mother about my problems…I just didn't know what else I could say to her. I had told her everything and poured out my grief for her nearly a million times. I mean what else _was_ there to say? Short answer, there was nothing really.

Having pulled the string from my shorts, I moved to the hem of my light blue cami shirt, but after a minute, I decided to take a glimpse of her. I shifted my eyes, keeping my head in the same position, and took in her countenance. Wearing her usual attire, a pink skirt, yellow top, and a short-sleeved coat, she looked exactly like a big pink flower. A large poof of hair was at the very top of her head along with a small pink bow, and flashy gold hoops dangled from her earlobes. She had applied the lightest touch of blush on her plump cheeks, dark blue eyes shadow over her tired eyes, and dark pink lipstick on her thin lips. I smiled a little, for even though Miss Miller was a much older woman, she was still very pretty.

Her blue eyes were pasted firmly on the road, which was odd for her considering she could never seem to keep her eyes straight ahead while driving. But, as she aged, she became more aware of her bad habits and starting driving much slower and with more control than she use to, making her a much better and safer driver. It was then that I really drank in her expression. The bags under her eyes and the wrinkles on her face were very noticeable, and she wore a very blank mask on her round face. She seemed to be deep in thought. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about.

Giving up the thought, I shifted my eyes back to my shirt's hem, tugging at it a little longer before looking over the distorted portrait of the neighborhood once more. I let go of my shirt as I allowed my head to fall into my right hand and placed my right elbow in my left hand. Sighing deeply and quietly, I gave my mind permission to wonder and sort through my thoughts again. I found it interesting how most, if not all, of my brain waves seemed to be flowing towards one specific thought, the thought being whether Alvin would ever come out of his coma and whether it would be soon. I hoped and prayed with all of my being that he would pull through and that it would be any day now.

Of course, I was thinking about things as well, as my brain couldn't help but go over the event of earlier this morning over and over like a scratched record on a player. I pictured myself on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably as my small body melted down physically and mentally. My mind had pounded hard against my skull, my chest felt as if I had been stabbed with the sharpest and deadliest knife in the kitchen cabinet, and my entire body just shut down to the point where I couldn't even stand anymore. It felt as if I was being dragged down to hell. It had drained me of every last bit of energy I had left in my system.

I shuddered as the feelings crept their way back into me. Not wanting to relive the heartbreak and misery, I quickly changed my train of thoughts and shoved the hurt back into the deep fathoms of my subconscious. After securing the unwanted sorrow, I soon started thinking about my decision to see a psychiatrist. My nerves started to tingle as second thoughts poked through my mind like needles to a pincushion. Would seeing a complete stranger really help me feel better? Would this stranger truly understand my pain? Would he or she understand how it felt to lose the one he or she loved?

My lips pressed together into hard line as I continued contemplating my choice. More and more questions popped into my head, and I clenched my eyes tightly, knowing I didn't have a single answer for any of them. But, if there was one thing I knew for sure, I was in too deep to continue going on living my days in a miserable haze. I needed serious help as soon as possible. Otherwise, my tiny seed of depression would grow into a huge tree of despair and grief, at which time I would end up physically hurting myself.

Opening my eyes, I took in another deep breath through my nose and let it out slowly through my mouth. My upper body slumped in defeat, for I knew I had no other options or alternatives for improving my mental health. Talking out my issues and worries to a psychiatrist was really the only way I would survive this painful ordeal. I couldn't deny that I needed the therapy any longer. I had to do it. I had to not only for my mother and sisters…but for the Sevilles…and for the man I loved.

"Brittany, dear?" I heard Miss Miller say behind me.

I jumped a little, startled by her voice and by the fact my mother was talking to me after the long silence between us. After calming down, I mumbled, without turning to look at her, "Hmm?"

"Your sisters told me what happened this morning," she said.

My body tensed immediately upon hearing those words. My sisters told her I broke down on the floor and blubbered like a baby? Well, this was just great! Miss Miller was worried enough about my health, and now, she was probably mortified and scared to death for me! Thanks a lot, girls! This was the last thing I needed put on my plate!

Dropping my arm and looking back down to my lap, I watched my hands begin to fidget like crazy as I tried to conjure up the decent response for my mother. When my mind drew a blank, all I could seem to say was, "Miss Miller…I…I…"

Miss Miller cut me off by say, "I'm very proud for you for what you did, Brittany."

As soon as the sentence reached my ears and entered my brain, I suddenly lost my ability to speak as my eyes bulged out of their sockets. I turned my head to look at Miss Miller, finding her body in the same position as before. Her hands were firmly pasted to the wheel as she stared out towards the road, wary of traffic and pedestrians. Diverting my attention away from her stiff stance, my mind brought me back to what she had said about me. Was it my imagination, or did my mother say she was proud of me?

"M-Miss Miller…" I stuttered, "I…you…what did you say?"

"I said I'm proud of you, dear," she repeated.

Another pause came between us once more as I turned away from Miss Miller and lip-synced the words again and again in an effort to make sense of them. I knew I hadn't been imagining them, but after mouthing them for the hundredth time, I still couldn't believe it. After all, why would she be proud of me? I had done nothing to make her proud. All I had done this past month was mope around and cry myself to sleep at night. Call me crazy, but that definitely wasn't the way to make someone proud.

Shaking my head lightly, I said, "Miss Miller…I don't understand…how could I have…"

"Your sisters told about your decision to see a therapist," my mother said interrupting me once more. "Sweetheart, you have no idea how happy it makes me to see you finally make an effort to help yourself."

"What?" I asked skeptically as I lifted my head back up. "Really?"

"Of course! Brittany, you would be surprised by how many people suffering from depression have chosen not to receive any help. I know how hard Alvin's condition has affected you, but I don't want his hospitalization to take you down a dark path. I was so worried that I would lose my baby to an awful disorder."

Listening to Miss Miller's words, I instantly felt sick. My chest tied itself into dozens upon dozen of knots, and my stomach churned madly. I seriously thought I was going to puke my guts out. Though I knew my behavior was hurting Miss Miller, I had no idea how much it had tortured her on the inside. Looking away, I couldn't help but feel awful for causing Miss Miller so much pain.

"But today, you showed your inner strength," she continued. "Today, you had a breakthrough. You realized that you had a problem, and now, you are attempting to get better. Making such a grown up decision takes a lot of courage, and it makes me proud to see your desire to change."

Letting my mother's wise and caring speech soak into my system, I closed my eyes and created a mental picture of the morning's events. Going through every little detail, I knew Miss Miller had a point. The whole time since Alvin's admission to the hospital, I had kept my feelings inside a tiny glass bottle inside my mind and had set it adrift along the farthest seas of my mind. Looking back on that choice, I finally comprehended that bottling my emotions never solved anything.

Soon, my stomach no longer ached, and my chest no longer felt tight and constricted. I grinned a little, happy that Miss Miller helped me to understand how my old decision was destroying me and how my new one was saving me.

"Thank you, Miss Miller," I smiled, "for showing me how wrong I had been for the past few weeks."

I could hear the cheerful yet thoughtful tone in her voice as she said, "Remember, sweetheart. Strength isn't running away from your problems; it's facing them head on and fixing them."

With those final insightful words, the rest of the ride to the hospital was spent in silence. My smile never faltered as I felt a great warmth build within me. The power felt so good, and I loved how I didn't feel so helpless anymore. It was an incredible feeling…but I couldn't help but wonder…how long would my newfound strength last before I crawled back into my shell once more? Was this only a temporary feeling? Would I lose my strength just when I had finally found it?

I immediately pushed aside the thoughts just as Miss Miller pulled up to the sliding glass entrance of Winchester Memorial Hospital. She pulled up close to the curb and started pressing her foot on the brake pedal, and by the sound of the obnoxious screeching I knew the brakes were long overdue for fixing. As the old automobile came to a complete stop, I reached down to the floor and picked up my little pink purse sitting by my feet.

I opened the passenger side door swiftly, and I slung my purse over my shoulder when Miss Miller said, "Remember to call when you're ready to come home, dear."

"I will," I replied as I got to my feet and turned on my heels.

After exiting the car, I slammed the door shut and watched as my mother put the car back in drive and made her way down the hospital's designated driving area. She drove all the way around the parking lot and soon made it back onto the road, quickly checking both sides before merging into the light traffic. Once she disappeared from my line of sight, I gradually turned around and looked above me to see, in plain white uppercase letters, "Winchester Memorial Hospital." Without noticing my actions, I shifted my weight from one leg to the other as I wrapped my arms around myself.

Closing my eyes, I took in a very deep breath, held it for about five seconds, and let it out little by little in an effort to calm my bundled nerves. When I opened my eyes again, I whispered silently to myself, "Be strong…don't let your strength disappear…don't let fear take over again…be strong…"

I played back the words in my head over and over as I placed my right foot first and made my way towards the glass doors. The sliding doors opened with a quiet "whoosh," and I entered the hospital without hesitation, determined not to stop until I reached the elevators. Caught off guard once more by the bright, rectangular lights installed in the ceiling, I dropped my arms from my shoulders and shielded my eyes using the back of my right hand to keep them from blinding my vision. When my eyes finally adjusted, I let my hand drop to my side as I looked around and took in the all too familiar scenery.

From top to bottom, the hospital's main colors were anything but cheerful. The walls were painted as white as a piece of paper, and the ceiling and floors, though also white, had small speckles of gray and black. Bleak was, without a doubt, the principal theme of the place, as there was absolutely nothing joyful or positive about the decoration and home improvement of the building itself.

I hurriedly walked down the long desolate hallway and entered the open reception and waiting area. I looked around the room filled with gray and drab furniture and potted plants to find it almost completely empty. In fact, the only person there was the dark haired receptionist herself, wearing a nice white and gray outfit. Well, wasn't that nice? She made the hospital look more dreary and miserable than before.

After walking across the room and avoiding the intimidating stare of the receptionist, I soon reached the elevator and pushed the "up" arrow hard, waiting impatiently for the doors to open. The doors finally opened thirty long and agonizing seconds later, and once inside, I quickly pushed the button that would take me to the fourth floor. Slowly closing, the metal elevator doors collided with each other to produce a loud "clank," and before I could even blink, the small box lifted up and headed for the top floor.

I tapped my foot lightly against the floor of the elevator as it continued climbing higher and higher towards my awaited destination. Rubbing my left arm with my right hand, I looked up to the top of the metal doors and watched as the floor numbers flashed in bright red. With each new number popping up on the tiny screen, a sharp stinging pain ran through my chest. I recognized the feeling as it continued pulsating throughout my system.

At once, I began repeating my "inner strength" mantra, trying to keep fear from washing over me like a tidal wave. I didn't want to be afraid anymore. I didn't want to come here, scared to death to learn that I had lost the most important person in the world. I didn't want to be afraid of never again feeling his strong arms around my body or of never again receiving protection from my knight in shining armor.

I was so sick and tired of being scared all the time, but today, I wasn't going to let fear take advantage of me. I was going to be brave no matter what happened. Whether Alvin woke up or not, I would be by his side, watching over him and taking care of him as he continued to heal. I was not going to leave him…not now…not ever.

Without realizing, the elevator doors had opened, indicating that I had reached the fourth floor. I limply dropped my arms to my side and walked out of the elevator, listening to the metal doors "clank" behind me. I slowly made my way down the white hallway, finding that the entire floor was buzzing with activity. It seemed like everywhere I turned, there were dozens of nurses walking around the fourth floor, wearing a variety of colored scrubs and stethoscopes and entering different rooms to either check the patients' IV fluid bags or help them eat their lunch.

I continued my long, treacherous journey down the crowded hallway, hoping I wouldn't bump into the busy bees that were working intensely on their hive, and after walking a few more feet, I reached the end of the hallway and turned the corner to arrive at the small reception desk currently run by two nurses, one sitting right in front of me and the other sitting on my left side. They were each working on their own set of paperwork, both completely absorbed in the different forms signed by various doctors, nurses, and visitors. I coughed loudly in order to capture either of the nurses' attention. The woman in front of me looked up from her paper work and smiled brightly, and I gave her a warm smile in return when I realized it was Alvin's assigned nurse, Helen Boatwright.

Helen, in her late thirties, had short, wavy brown hair and bangs that framed her slim, heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a deep forest green, which were brought out by the light application of eyeliner and mascara. Dark brown freckles covered her cheeks as well as the bridge of her small nose. She wore a dark pink lipstick on her thin lips to match her scrubs, and though she was an older woman, she didn't look a day over thirty.

Whenever I came by to visit Alvin, Helen would always be the first person I saw. She was a kind, sweet, and very optimistic person. She loved to smile and be happy, and more than anything, she wanted to make others happy. "That's why I became a nurse," she had said. "Not only did I want to help people, I wanted to help take their mind off of their medical situations and help them see the bright side of things." Needless to say, she really grew on me, and it didn't take long for us to become good friends.

Aside from being one of the sweetest women I've ever met, Helen also had very keen senses, enabling her to feel when someone was upset. From the first day I visited the hospital, she knew I was having a hard time dealing with Alvin's condition. I knew by the sullen look on her face that she knew something very awful had happened not just to Alvin, but to me as well. In fact, that very same day, she offered me her ears if I felt I needed someone to vent to. However, I respectfully declined the offer, for at the time, I wasn't ready to talk to anyone about my feelings, not even to such a wonderful woman as Helen.

"Well, hello there, Miss Brittany," she greeted merrily as she grabbed a brown clipboard from under a stack of papers. "I expected to see you an hour ago. After all, you're usually waiting to visit fifteen minutes before hours start."

Helen placed the clipboard on top of the reception desk along with a black ink pen. I knew the drill: look over the form, fill out the necessary information, and sign on the dotted line. It was required that all visitors sign a form stating whom they were visiting and how long they planned to visit.

As I begin filling out the form, I returned Helen's friendly salutation by saying politely, "Good afternoon, Helen. It's good to see you. I overslept this morning, so I ran late getting here."

"Well, that's perfectly fine, dear," she answered with a wave of her hand. "We all deserve to sleep in a little, especially on the weekends."

Mumbling a short response, I rapidly scribbled my name at the bottom of the black-printed paper and slid the clipboard across the desk. I handed the pen back to Helen as she took the clipboard in her hand and placed her pen into her colorfully decorated "World's Greatest Mom" tin can.

"How are you feeling today, Miss Brittany?" she asked curiously, pulling back the clip of the clipboard to retrieve the form. "Are you doing well?"

I hesitated for only a second as I struggled to find the right words to describe my mood. I wanted to be honest with her, but I knew I couldn't tell her I was "great" or "dandy." In the end, all I could say was, "I'm…fine."

Giving her my answer, I watched as Helen took the signed form from the clipboard and replaced it with a new one. She eyed me skeptically as she placed the brown clipboard inside her desk, took the form I had just signed and placed it with another pile of signed forms. I could tell by the doubtful look in her green eyes that she didn't know whether to believe me or not. However, she didn't press forward on the matter and soon started getting back to work organizing the different mounds of paper.

A long pause came between us as I watched Helen sort through the forms and papers. I sighed silently, knowing for a fact she knew I wasn't telling the truth. For her, sensing unhappiness was like having a sixth sense. She could instantly tell from the look in your eye that you were sad, but she already knew I didn't want to talk to her about my feelings, which was why she didn't ask me anymore questions.

I cleared my throat again, grabbing Helen's attention once more. She held a signed visitor's form in her hand as she stared curiously into my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I mustered up all of the courage I had left in my system to ask her the one question nagging at the back of my mind the moment I entered the fourth floor.

"How is he today?" I asked hastily, not even realizing how fast I had said the words until I had finished my question.

With a small sigh, Helen put down the form she had been holding in her hand onto the top of the pile she had been looking through. When she looked at me, I could tell by the sullen look in her eyes that she would not be bringing me any good news.

"Well," she began, "when I checked on him early this morning, his last few cuts and bruises had finally healed up. I had to change his IV bag as well. His breathing is slow, but still relatively normal…I think for the condition he's in, he's doing very well."

So many great things came out of Helen's mouth, but unfortunately, the only thing I could hear was the little voice in my head, telling me that Alvin still hadn't woken up yet. Once again, I could feel my strength diminish as my head dropped downward. Before long, I was staring at the top of the white desk, feeling my stomach twist into double knots and my chest constricting as if a boa constrictor had a good grip around my heart and was getting tighter and tighter as I thought about how Alvin still ran the risk of dying.

I balled up my right hand, which was still laying on the counter, in an attempt to forget about the pain. Then, out of the blue, I felt something warm over my right hand. I looked to find Helen grasping my fist. I didn't really understand why, but her touch helped to relieve the pain I felt growing inside me.

I relaxed the tension in my hand and looked back up at Helen as she said quietly, "Have faith, sweetheart. Miracles can and do happen. Just leave your troubles to the Lord, and everything will work out. Alvin will wake up soon, just don't give up on faith."

Listening to Helen's words, I swiftly felt the pain begin to melt away from within me. With the knots undone and the snake chased off, my inner strength soon came back, and I found myself smiling down upon the wise and incredibly brilliant nurse. For someone working in a depressing hospital, Helen sure did know the right things to say to make someone feel better.

After receiving a returning smile, Helen slowly let go of my hand and went back to her unorganized stack of papers. I backed away from the desk and said a quick goodbye to Helen, which she replied with a quick and polite nod. I, then, made my way to Alvin's hospital room, which wouldn't take too long to reach because his room was right at the end of the next hallway.

I walked away from the reception desk and down the new hallway, finding there weren't as many nurses as there were before. One nurse in dark blue scrubs carried a folder full of medical records and hurried walked by me on her way to the reception desk. Another wearing purple scrubs walked out of one of the hospital rooms, holding a bag full of dark red liquid, which I knew the minute I saw it was blood. I covered my mouth at once to prevent myself from throwing up as she walked passed me.

Once she was gone, I pulled my hand away and started rubbing my stomach, hoping the queasiness I felt would go away, which did after a couple of seconds of deep breathing. A few steps later, I took my hand away from my belly and looked up to see Alvin's room number. I stopped dead in my tracks as I stared mindless at the black numbers nailed to the wall, and my stomach turned into a pretzel yet again. I felt dizzy and nauseous, and this time, I knew it wasn't from the blood I saw earlier.

Losing my balance, I reached out towards the wall and caught myself before I had a chance to fall flat on my face. I rubbed my right temple in order to ease the wooziness and ache I felt, but I knew the pain would be hard to get rid of once I entered the room. I took in a huge gulp of air and let it out slowly in an attempt to keep myself together.

"Come on, Brittany," I whispered to myself. "You've done this bunches of times. You can handle another. Just remember what Miss Miller told you. You're stronger than you believe you are. Just be strong…be strong…"

Repeating my mantra for the second or third time, I lifted myself from the wall and straightened up my posture. Then, lifting my head up high, I picked up my right foot and stepped forward, turning the doorknob and opening the door as I did so. I slowly walked through the doorway and closed the door behind me, looking at the first bed to find it empty. Before, an elderly man had laid upon the bed, recovering from a minor heart attack. He was a sweet old man, always talking about his two children and six grandchildren and how proud he was of each of them.

I smiled a little, thinking how nice it was that he finally recovered and left to return to his family. But, my smile soon went away as I walked towards the last bed in the corner of the room, Alvin's bed. If only he would recover, so he could return home to his brothers…and come back to me. I swallowed hard as I finally caught a glimpse of the chipmunk laying in the last little hospital bed, wrapped up snuggly in the thin white sheets.

I gradually walked over to Alvin's bed and finally stopped at the foot of it, looking over his condition for the thousandth time. Though the bruises and cuts had healed and the nurses were putting nutrients into his system, he still looked sickly pale and very boney. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose to help keep his breathing going, and a needle, connecting to a thin tube leading to an IV fluid bag, was stuck in his left hand. His face looked so thin that I could see his cheekbones protruding out and his eyeballs sinking into his eye sockets. I barely recognized him he was so tiny.

Feeling the brim of my eyelids water up, I quickly looked away and closed my eyes. That didn't stop the light tears from falling down my cheeks. God, I hated seeing Alvin like that, so helpless and almost lifeless. Every time I looked at him, I was reminded of that night; the night we shared our first kiss…the night he gave his life to protect me…the night I lost him.

I clenched my eyes tighter, feeling a sharp pain stab me in the gut, which I knew was the feeling of guilt. Reliving that night, I just couldn't help but think that everything had been because of me…because of my stubbornness and my unwillingness to listen to my own heart. Damn it…I had really screwed up that night…but I knew I couldn't keep beating myself up over it. I told my family I would get better, and if I wanted to keep my inner strength going, I knew I had to stop blaming myself for what happened.

Opening my tear-filled eyes, I looked back at Alvin, knowing what he would have wanted me to do if he were able to talk to me. He would want me to let go of the past and tell me that it didn't matter what happened to him as long as I was happy and alive. After all, it could have been me lying in that bed instead of Alvin, though a part of me wished it _were_ me. I huffed lightly as I wiped the tears from my eyes, thinking how odd it was Alvin and I cared so much for each other now, yet at eight years old, we couldn't stand to be in the same room together. I guess the old saying was true; growing up can really change a person's attitude.

I shook my head of the old memories as I walked over to small white table in the corner of the room and placed my purse down on top of it. Grabbing one of the white chairs at the table, I slid it over the hard white floor leaving black streaks in the tile. Then, I placed the chair next to Alvin's bed and took a seat, reaching over and taking his right hand in my own. I flinched a little when I felt how cool it was compared to the warmth of mine.

"Hey, Alvin," I said with a slight smile. "How are you doing today?"

I knew it seemed a little odd to talk to Alvin like he were awake, but I had to try to get through to him somehow. I wanted to get some kind of response out of him. I wanted to know that he was still in there and that he could here me. However, considering he made no movement or noise, I was beginning to feel that my talking to him was a ridiculous idea, doubting that the chipmunk could hear me at all. But, despite the lack of communication, I continued speaking to him.

"The same?" I asked. "Yeah, me too. I had that dream again. You know, the one I told you about a while ago? The one about you not being there to save me?"

Alvin still hadn't moved or given any acknowledgement of my presence as I went on, "Yeah, well, I had it again. This stupid dream has been keeping me up almost every night. I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks."

I squeezed Alvin's hand tighter in an effort to keep it warm. He continued to lie in the bed motionless, his breathing quiet and slow through the oxygen mask. Nevertheless, I kept the conversation going.

"Guess what, Alvin? I've decided to see a psychiatrist. My sisters helped me with the decision this morning, and to be honest, I'm glad I'm finally getting help. I've been in way over my head for so long that I was beginning to drown under the pressure. This situation is…just too hard to handle by myself anymore."

A single tear ran down my left cheek as I traced a small circle against the skin of Alvin's index finger. I brought my hand up from my lap and wiped the tear away, getting myself together before the pain took over me again. I quickly changed the subject, though I knew it wouldn't matter, as there was still a great chance that my words were just wasted breath and were not helping the situation in the least. Yet for the sake of my sanity, I kept talking.

"You know, Alvin? Yesterday, after I came home from seeing you, I started thinking about the time we had that _huge_ fight. I mean of course, being stubborn as we both are, we fought all the time, but this fight we had…it was different from the ones we've had before. To be honest, I don't really remember what we were fighting about. All I remember was…feeling angry towards you and offended and upset by some of the things you said to me…by the names you called me."

I paused for a moment, picturing the furious look on Alvin's face as he bared his teeth, furrowed his brows evilly, and growled hatefully. I remember how he sneered multiple names in my direction. I remember him calling me a bitch…it was the first time he ever called me that. After he called me a few more bad names, I stomped my way back home in order to keep myself from pouncing on him like a hungry cougar.

"It's funny…I really thought our friendship was over that day…that we would never speak to each other again. But, after I had calmed down and talked it out with my sisters, I felt terrible about the whole fight. I decided to go over to your house and apologize. I know it sounds crazy, considering I _never _apologize to anyone…but…I guess the reason I wanted to apologize was because…I didn't want to lose my best friend."

Taking a short break from my reminiscing, I breathed in the intoxicating scent of saline and antiseptic cream. I heaved out the breath, coughing a little from the overwhelming stench. God, I really hated the smell of medical supplies.

"Anyway, when I made it to your house, I saw you sitting on the porch steps playing your guitar. You didn't really notice me there until I sat down beside you. I was about to apologize when you stopped me and said you wanted to play a song for me. That song…was so beautiful…I knew when I heard it that I would never forget it."

I smiled a little and tightened my grip around Alvin's hand, letting the words to the song he sang to me so long ago come to my mind, and before long, I found myself singing the song.

_Can you forgive me again?_

_I don't know what I said_

_But I didn't mean to hurt you_

_I heard the words come out_

_I felt that I would die_

_It hurt so much to hurt you_

After finishing the first couple of stanzas of the song, I suddenly felt pressure coming from my right hand, which at the moment happened to be around Alvin's. What the heck? Why is there pressure in my hand? I looked down to my hand, hoping to see what was causing the pressure. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull when I realized Alvin was squeezing back. I watched as he clutched my hand even more, completely shocked and overwhelmed. Oh my God, could he actually hear me singing? Was he finally waking up after an entire month of unconsciousness? Finding the place I left off, I began singing again mentally praying that today would finally be the day.

_Then you look at me_

_You're not shouting anymore_

_You're silently broken_

_I'd give anything now_

_To kill those words for you_

Alvin's grip tightened before my eyes, and I couldn't help the smile that began to form at the corners of my mouth. Hoping to see more activity, I looked up towards the chipmunk's face even more excited to see his eyebrows twitching slightly. It was working! The singing was really working! Damn it! Had I know singing would have helped him to wake up I would have done it a long time ago! I mentally slapped myself and quickly began the next few stanzas boldly.

_Each time I say something I regret I cry "I don't want to lose you."_

_But somehow I know that you will never leave me, yeah._

'_Cause you were made for me_

_Somehow I'll make you see_

_How happy you make me_

Watching Alvin's head start to move from side to side and his brows twitch even more, I knew in my heart that he would wake up any second. By the scrunched look on his face, he seemed very determined to wake up. That's it, Alvin! You're almost there! You can do it! Don't give up! I sang the ending stanzas with as much passion as I could muster, belting out the words so I knew Alvin would hear my voice.

_I can't live this life_

_Without you by my side_

_I need you to survive_

_So stay with me_

_You look in my eyes and I'm screaming inside that I'm sorry._

_And you forgive me again_

_You're my one true friend_

_And I never meant to hurt you_

Once I finished the song, a soft groan escaped from his lips, which gave me all that I needed to be sure that he was finally coming out of the darkness and back into the light. I watched in awe as his eyes started to flutter open. For about one second, he opened his eyes completely, but he closed them back again, probably shocked by the bright lights in the room. Wow, he was almost there!

"Alvin?" I asked unbelievably.

He let out a louder groan as he, for a second time, opened his eyes wide. He blinked a few times in order to let his eyes adjust to the light, which was understandable taking into account that he'd been in the dark for a while and hadn't seen such bright lights in a long time. I stood up from the chair with a huge smile pasted on my face. I smiled so hard that my cheeks started to ache, but I didn't care. I was just happy to see those big, beautiful ocean blue eyes again.

Laying my head down on his chest on and wrapping my arms around him carefully, I cried joyfully, "Oh, my God…you're awake. You're actually awake. You have no idea how long I've waited to see you open your eyes again."

Alvin let out another moan before speaking for the first time in a month. His voice was a little scratchy and hoarse through the oxygen mask, but that was reasonable as well. "Where…where am I?"

I lifted my head from his chest and wiped the tears of joy from my eyes with the back of my hand. I turned my head down to look at him, noticing he hadn't looked at me and had his eyes fixed to the ceiling. "You're in the hospital. You've been out of it for a while, but you've pulled through it and you're alive…you're here, and you're alive."

I kept my smile as I placed my hand on the side of Alvin's face. Using my thumb, I caressed his cheekbone gently, surprised yet excited about how much warmer his skin felt. Alvin, having felt the touch of my hand, turned his head to look at me. He stared into my eyes for what felt like forever, and I could instantly feel my heart melt with happiness. I haven't felt so complete in my entire life, and looking into those perfect blue eyes, I knew I never wanted to be apart from the chipmunk anymore.

Staring lovingly at the best person in the world, I waited patiently for him to speak once more, expecting to hear him say how much he loved me and how sorry he was for everything that happened. I was so plagued with gladness that I hadn't even noticed his furrowed brow. Then, when he finally spoke, nothing could have prepared me for the question that came out of his mouth.

"Who…who are you?"

The moment those words left his lips, my entire body froze, every muscle inside me tensing from shock. Forcing my arm to move, I took it away from his face, and the corners of my mouth loosened. My smile turned into a confused frown as I looked into his eyes. If Alvin's trying to make me laugh, he was doing a really lousy job at it. I mean what kind of sick, twisted joke was he trying to pull?

"Alvin, stop kidding around," I said seriously. "You've been gone for a long time, and I've missed you like crazy."

"Coma?" he asked me, his brow furrowing more. "What the heck are you talking about? How do you know my name? How could you miss me if I've never seen you before?"

My eyes grew to an immeasurable size as I backed away from the bed. After taking three steps back, I said, "Alvin, I told you to stop that. It's not funny."

"Again, how is it that you know my name?" the chipmunk asked again.

It was then that Alvin's questions were really starting to scare me. Was he seriously asking who I was and how I knew his name? He couldn't be serious. He's known me for years. We shared classes together. We stayed up late watching scary movies together. We spent our weekends together; granted most of them were spent fighting and bickering. He just couldn't have forgotten all of the time we spent together…could he?

"Alvin…it's me…Brittany Miller," I said desperately. "You've known me since elementary school…we've been friends for years…don't you remember me? Don't you recognize me? Come on, Alvin…you know me."

Alvin stared at me for a full minute, giving me a look as if saying, "This chick is out of her mind." The look was so intense that I actually cringed a little, hurt that he would even think I was insane. Then, he said, "Um…look…I don't know if you're just hallucinating all of that or if you're just crazy…but I'm telling you, I have no idea who you are. I've never met you in my life, and I don't know anyone by that name."

With those words, my heart broke in two. All of my strength…my happiness…it all vanished after hearing Alvin say he has never seen me before. Pain ran through my veins as my legs turned into jello. I leaned against the bed frame for support as my brain pounded hard and fast against my skull, and my chest felt as if it had been slashed multiple times. I looked at the confused chipmunk, never before feeling so heartbroken in my entire life. Damn, if I thought Alvin being in a coma was the worst thing to have happened, I was dead wrong.

I just couldn't believe it. How could Alvin forget all of the times we've shared? How could he forget his best friend? How hard did that son of a bitch, Colin, hit him? Mixing in with the pain, anger built up within me. God, I hate that jackass! Not only did he take Alvin away from me, but he also turned a, what was supposed to be, happy reunion into another one of my worst nightmares! He ruined my life!

With all of the strength I had left, I stepped back from the bed and ran out of the room. As I ran down the hallway, I prayed to God, I shouted to the Lord above, I begged and pleaded with my heart and soul for Alvin's memory to return. Please, God…don't take Alvin away from me. Please, let him remember me…let him remember…


	15. The Undeniable Truth

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Greetings, fellow readers! Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a year with no update…UNTIL NOW! First, let me just say that I'm so sorry for not updating on this story. I've been struggling with schoolwork as well as laziness. As of late, laziness has been my biggest issue. However, for the past three days, I've been working on this chapter, writing and editing to the best of my abilities. All I can really say now is that I hope it meets up to everyone's expectations. Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter! I love hearing how much you all love the story! So, without further ado, here is the next installment of **_**I Can't Stop Loving You**_**! Let me know what you guys think by leaving a review or messaging me, and I'll try to have another update up sooner. Also, let me know if you guys think this story's rating needs to be changed to M. The reason I ask is because one of the chapters in this story has pretty heavy cursing. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifteen: The Undeniable Truth**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

With every weak, hasty step I took through the hallways of the bleak Winchester Memorial Hospital, I stumbled passed nurses in various colored scrubs and doctors with stethoscopes hanging from their necks, all of whom were giving me the strangest looks that said "What is wrong with that girl?" My footing was so uneasy that I was surprised I had managed not to run into any of the medics that I ran by. As I turned the corner into a new hallway, I took notice of the rapid pounding of my heart against my rib cage and how my chest felt as if it were a raging inferno burning and charring at my very soul. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I choked them back as best I could. As for the pain, it was just too much to even try to push back.

Of course, I knew that the blaze I felt inside my aching body wasn't from the lack of physical exercise. The pain I felt was caused by something much worse, for not moments ago, Alvin, my best friend and the man I loved, had woken up from his coma…only to say that he had never seen me in his entire life. I would have died right there on the hospital floor when he asked me who I was and why I was there. However, I kept my composure long enough to run out of his room and find his nurse, Helen, as quickly as possible.

Finally, after running for God knows how long, I caught sight of the tiny reception desk and saw that Helen had not moved from her place at the front of it. She wasn't even aware that I was making my way towards the desk at high speed, and it wasn't until I slammed my hands hard against the bleach-white desk that she jumped from her seat and looked up to find me, a sweaty, unkempt mess, standing in front of her.

I put all of my weight on the desktop as I attempted to steady my jello-like legs. I gasped for every breath as I started yelling at Helen, "Help! Alvin… awake… doesn't… know… me… call… doctor…NOW!"

"Whoa, Miss Brittany, calm down!" she raised her voice at me, trying to get my attention as I continued to babble incoherently. Then, without hesitation, she took my hands into hers and said softly, "Relax…breathe slowly…breathe until your heart rate goes down and you feel calm. Then, tell me what happened."

Taking her advice, I began breathing slowly in through my nose and out through my mouth. In a matter of minutes, I could feel my heart beat slowing down to the point I no longer felt it against my chest, and once it returned to its normal pace, I sang like a canary and told Helen everything that transpired in Alvin's room from my singing to him to his questioning how I was. When I finished telling her everything, Helen immediately called up Alvin's doctor, Dr. Rolland, and informed her that her patient had finally woken up from his comatose state. Dr. Rolland wasted no time, letting Helen know she was on her way and hanging up the phone as fast as possible.

Only a few minutes had passed by the time the raven haired woman with green eyes dressed from head to toe in white exited from the elevator and immediately made her way towards Alvin's hospital room. I watched her pass by me, her stethoscope dangling from side to side as she walked right by without any acknowledgement of my presence at the front desk. I was a little bit angered by her rudeness; I was hoping for at least a brief look in my direction. But honestly, who could really blame her for ignoring me? She was just told that one of her patients, after being in a coma for an entire month, had woken up and seemed to be showing signs of memory loss. Had it been me in her shoes, I would have knocked people down to the floor if it meant getting one step closer to Alvin.

I watched as Dr. Rolland disappeared around the corner into the next hallway, and for a few moments, all I could do was stare straight down the long, spacious corridor. I tried to keep my thoughts in check, but my mind was just so clouded and heavy with concern for the red clad chipmunk. What had happened to Alvin in his comatose state? Why did he not recognize his best friend? Would he…ever remember me? So many unanswered questions raced through my head that I almost felt as if I were going to faint.

Steadying my shaking legs, I leaned back onto the reception desk, clenching my eyes tightly as I took deep breaths to relieve my worries. I turned my head up and opened my eyes to look at Helen, who had a hopeful look in her eyes. I sighed sadly and looked away from her; unlike her, I did not feel as hopeful at the moment. After all, it wasn't her loved one that was in the hospital.

Then, I suddenly felt something warm covering my cool hand and looked back to see Helen taking my hand into hers once more. "Don't worry, dear. Alvin is going to be just fine."

Swiftly swallowing the lump I felt in my throat, I replied, "But Helen…he…he has no idea who I am. I mean…how am I supposed to not worry about this?"

"I know," Helen sighed. "I know it's hard, but it's like I told you earlier. Just have faith, and everything will work out. Trust me."

Letting out a huge gust of air, my head fell, and my eyes locked onto the top of the desk. I wanted so badly to believe her…to trust her, but I had never felt more scared in all my life then I did at that time. How could I have any faith when Alvin couldn't remember anything? Why did God do this to me? Why did he make Alvin forget? Why? Hot, stinging tears began to form at the bridges of my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away before they even had a chance to fall.

It was then that I realized Dave and Miss Miller didn't know that Alvin was awake. I looked back up at Helen and muttered, "I…uh…I need to make a few calls. Excuse me, please."

Helen nodded understandingly as I pulled my hand out of her gentle grip. She said nothing more while I turned my back to her, took my cell phone out of my pocket, and made the important phone calls. Knowing his family needed to be informed first, I called the Sevilles. Dave answered after a few rings, and I wasted no time in telling him everything. By the time I finished speaking, I could hear him yelling over the other end of the line. The connection was slightly fuzzy, but I definitely heard him say, "Boys, get in the car! We need to get to the hospital!" Then, he mumbled something like "We'll be right over," and the dial tone sounded, indicating that he had ended the call.

A similar situation occurred when I called Miss Miller and told her the news. She freaked out like Dave had, but she wasn't as shocked as he was. After telling her what had happened, she said she would "round up my sisters and be over in a matter of minutes." All in all, I waited near the reception desk for only five minutes when the elevator doors loudly clinked open to reveal the Sevilles as well as Miss Miller and my two sisters.

Dave was the first one to spot me and jogged like a maniac towards the desk. He stopped right in front of me, and eventually the rest of the gang crowded around behind him. "Hey, Brittany," Dave huffed, trying to catch his breath. "How is he? Did you hear anything from the doctor?"

Theodore as well as Simon poked their heads out from behind Dave, hoping to hear a positive answer come out of my mouth. Miss Miller and my sisters stayed behind the group; they knew the Sevilles needed to be the first to hear the news about Alvin's condition. I turned my head to look down the hallway where Dr. Rolland had taken off and then turned back to look at the family that eagerly waited for my optimistic reply.

Unfortunately, I had no good news to report. "No," I answered regretfully. "The doctor hasn't come back yet. I don't know what's going on right now."

I watched sadly as every member of the Seville family, minus one, slumped their shoulders in a melancholy fashion. Theodore turned away from the rest of his family and wiped away the trail of tears that were slowly making their way down his chubby cheeks. Simon, looking away as well, shook his head from side to side and rested his elbows on top of the reception desk. Without saying a word, he buried his head into his hands in an effort to choke down a muffled sob, and in no time at all, both of my sisters took their positions beside their counterparts, gently embracing them as they tried their best to comfort the two brothers.

Meanwhile, Dave just stood there, a frown on his aging face and his brow furrowed with worry. By the glossy look in his eyes, I could tell that he, like his sons, was also on the verge of crying. Miss Miller placed a wrinkled hand on Dave's shoulder, which he took in his own with no hesitation. Feeling a lump in my throat, I quickly looked away from the scene and swallowed hard, for I knew they weren't the only ones that felt awful about what was happening. I, too, felt unhappy that I had not given them the answer they desperately wanted to hear, and I wrapped my arms around myself in an effort to keep the hurt feelings inside me.

At that time, all I could think about was the man I cared for deeply laying in that bleak room and being questioned by a strange woman he had never seen in his life. Thoughts and images of the red clad chipmunk and what he might be thinking clouded my mind as I started to wonder whether he truly remembered _anything _about his life. Did he remember Dave or his brothers? Did he remember Miss Miller and my sisters? I couldn't be too sure of what was going through Alvin's mind at the moment, but I knew one thing for sure…he had no idea who I was at all…and that thought killed me more than anything in the entire world.

"Dr. Rolland," I suddenly heard Dave say under his breath.

At the mention of Alvin's doctor's name, I couldn't stop myself as I hastily turned in place and made eye contact with Dr. Rolland as she made her way back to the reception desk. Taking her time, she hugged her wooden clipboard, the same one she always seemed to be carrying around with her, in one arm and matted down her white coat with the other. By the time she made it to the desk, everyone, especially the Sevilles, had locked a curious and frightened stare in her direction.

Using her free hand to push back the loose strands of dark hair that escaped from her ponytail from her eyes, Dr. Rolland looked straight at Dave and said, "Hello, Mr. Seville. It's good to see you again. Although, I'm sorry the reunion isn't under better circumstances."

She extended her arm while Dave, unthinkingly, pushed Miss Miller aside and walked through our group until he stood in front of the doctor. He took her hand in his and gave it a shake as he replied, "Like wise, Dr. Rolland."

Dave must have been feeling apprehensive, because even though he was trying to keep calm when grasping the doctor's hand, his handshake was causing Dr. Rolland to lose her balance. When Dave finally let go, she had to find her footing and smooth her outfit back in place.

"I…assume Brittany called all of you and told you everything?" she inquired, still trying to fix her clothing.

"Yes, ma'am, she did," he answered politely. With Dave's reply, our two families began to crowd around the doctor, nosing our way into the conversation and anxious to hear what the doctor had to say.

It didn't take long before Theodore chimed in with a question I was sure had been plaguing his mind for the last ten minutes. "I-Is Alvin going to be okay, Dr. Rolland?" he asked shyly.

Upon hearing the question, the green-eyed physician took in a breath and slowly looked around to take in each of the solemn faces surrounding her. It wasn't until she looked towards me that I took in her practically flawless features. Her face had an almost oval shape, and her full, rosy colored lips were locked in a, what appeared to me, a frown. Her brow furrowed deeply, and I watched as her lips started to curl into her mouth. By that action as well as the complete look of concern, I could definitely tell that the news she came to deliver could quite possibly be bad.

Then, her eyes caught mine, and staring at those green orbs, I knew for sure what she had to tell us. Her glassy, bright eyes stared intensely into my own, making me feel as if she were boring a hole right into my soul. No matter how much I wanted to break this stare, I just couldn't find the will power to do it because I knew that she was telling me, with her eyes, the seriousness of Alvin's state of being. It was at that moment that I wanted something to distract her. I just…I couldn't take the meaningful stare any longer. It was…almost painful.

Luckily, Dave was the one that broke off our connection. "Dr. Rolland?" he asked.

At that sound, the raven-haired woman turned her attention away from me and looked back at her patient's father. Realizing I was holding my breath and was in desperate need of oxygen, I let out a slow breath and tried to breathe normal. Unfortunately, I couldn't seem to relax after Dr. Rolland's silent conversational stare, and I found myself wrapping my arms around myself. Someone must have noticed my uneasiness, for I soon felt something warm being placed on my left shoulder.

Turning my head in the direction of the sudden heat, I saw that Jeanette was the culprit behind the touch. She was sending a hopeful look, which I tried to return. However, the sound of the doctor sighing distracted me. I swiftly turned my head towards the physician. By her countenance, she was ready to deliver, what I knew for a fact to be, the bad news.

Dr. Rolland pushed her hair back once more before speaking. "Well, when Brittany informed Alvin's nurse of his current state, I rushed up here as quickly as I could. I checked his physical condition first, and from my examination, your son is going to make a full recovery. His scrapes are barely visible, his black eye has cleared up, and his ribs healed in the correct alignment. He came through pretty well."

With that answer, I mentally scoffed with disgust as I felt my face grow hot. My heartbeat increased at an alarming pace from the anger that pulsed through my veins, and I felt my shoulders tense. What the hell was she thinking saying those words like Alvin's memory loss was nothing to be concerned over? How dare she say that Alvin will make a full recovery when he hadn't a clue as to my identity? I nearly growled, thinking this woman in front of me had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

Jeanette, with her hand still on my shoulder, must have noticed my hard, statue-like response, because without a second thought, she squeezed it gently, probably hoping that the gesture would calm me in someway. However, my heart still pounded against my chest, threatening to escape out of my ribcage, and my face flushed from the heat creeping into my cheeks. Still, I knew I had to calm my edgy nerves before I exploded my fury onto the doctor. She didn't deserve people being mad with her, and I understood that she was only doing her job. I started taking deep breaths, hoping to cleanse myself of all feelings of irritation.

"Dr. Rolland," Dave interrupted the short silence that had built up around our group. "If you don't mind my saying so, I…I can't help but feel that there is more to Alvin's condition."

The dark haired medic looked away from Dave for a moment and let out a large, dragging amount of air from her system. She, then, looked back up at me again, her features giving off a sense of pain and remorse. Staring at her, all of my anger towards her disappeared, replaced with a feeling of sadness. I honestly had never felt more sorry for anyone in my life than I did at the very moment. At that time, I knew she didn't want to hurt any of us with the news she was about to give us, but we both knew she had no choice in the matter.

Breaking the eye contact, Dr. Rolland looked back at Dave with that same expression she had given me, and I watched as Dave's face fell once again. When she started speaking again, she had confirmed my thoughts.

"Believe me, Mr. Seville," she began, "nothing hurts me more than giving relatives and friends bad news, but unfortunately, it is part of my job to inform them what is happening with their child, and you have every right to know the rest of the truth about your son's medical evaluation."

"I…I understand," Dave replied half-heartedly.

I noticed him shaking a little, possibly afraid of the rest of the doctor's medical report. But, moving his head from side to side, his frown vanished, and his countenance now resembled that of a man who as all business and no play. I guess he figured that he had to be strong for the sake of his other two sons, who were nervously fiddling with their fingers as they stood on either side of their father.

"So…" he continued, "what's the rest of the news?"

Dr. Rolland hesitated for only a second before she continued to speak. "Brittany told you that Alvin didn't recognize her when he woke up, is that correct?"

At that, everyone in our group, except for me, took a few moments to nod their heads and silently answer the physician's question. "Well…" she replied, "After checking his vitals and looking over his injuries, I began a mental evaluation and-"

"Mental evaluation?" Theodore questioned, interrupting Dr. Rolland's sentence.

"Yes. The evaluation consisted of a series of simple questions, targeting facts about himself that he could answer without any hesitation at all. Some examples would be what his name was, what his family was like, what his favorite things were…you could pretty much call them easy questions."

Watching Theodore, you could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to make since of Dr. Rolland's explanation of her examination. When the light bulb of understanding finally turned on, he couldn't stop himself from stating, "Oh…so it's like an interview!"

That unexpected response caused the doctor to let out a light giggle, and surprising, almost everyone surrounding her, minus Simon and me, quietly laugh out loud. Dr. Rolland smiled warmly at the round chipmunks as she said, "Exactly that."

"So…" Having been silent for so long, Simon decided to jump in on the conversation as well. He stepped forward so that he was just a few inches in front of Dave and ran his fingers shakily through his hair as he finished his own question. "W-What did Alvin remember?"

The smile on Dr. Rolland's face quickly turned into a frown as she turned her attention to the bespectacled chipmunk. Simon carried a look of curiosity and worry as he waited for the raven-hair woman to respond, but taking a peak at the doctor's grimace and slightly furrowed brow, I could tell that she was having trouble breaking the news to her patient's younger brother. Wow, I guess the job, despite the incredible amount of pay, really did have its drawbacks.

She softly cleared her throat before answering the million-dollar question. "Well…" she began, "I…I hate to say this, but…after asking him all of the questions, the only thing Alvin seemed to truly know the answer to…was his name. With every other question I asked, he just seemed dazed and confused. He just…didn't seem to understand anything that was happening. I'm…I'm sorry, but…I'm afraid the blows Alvin had endured a month ago have caused him to lose nearly all of his memory…which means he is currently suffering from amnesia."

She paused for a brief moment, taking in a slow stream of air as she gave all of us time to process her words carefully. Turning my attention to the Sevilles, I could tell they were the ones taking the news the hardest. Dave stared off into the distance, his mouth gaping only slightly while Simon and Theodore just looked away from the physician, focusing their eyes on the white-tiled floor. Responding to the actions, my sisters took the time to move towards the counterparts, and I watched as they took their hands into their own.

I swallowed down a lump that threatened to form in my throat and turned my head away from the scene. I just couldn't stand to see the comforting sight.

Then, directing his attention back to the doctor, Dave asked the important question that plagued all of our minds. "How…How long will the amnesia last?"

Dr. Rolland flinched a little at his words, for she knew that at least one of the people around her would eventually ask that question. She began to shake her head lightly as she answered, "It's…too early to tell for sure, but-"

Simon was the one who cut off her sentence this time, asking the very same question that I was thinking in that very instance. "But he will get his memory back…won't he?"

"Well…I…" She paused once more, hoping to find the right words to describe the situation.

However, the longer she took, the more anxious I began to feel. My hands began to shake as my heartbeat increased to an alarming rate. In a matter of seconds, I felt small beads of sweat roll down my brow. Why the hell was she taking to so long to answer Simon's question? Was there something she wasn't telling us? What was she hiding?

After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor let out a short breath and finally began to speak once more. "…I-I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your question. Amnesia is not always simple to comprehend. Predicting the outcome of something like this is never easy. There are some patients that regain their memory in a mater of days. Others remember within a few weeks…but for a select few…well…they…"

"They never remember…"

The rest of her words slipped out of my mouth before I even had a chance to stop myself. Everyone turned his or her head to look at me, surprised that I had spoken for the first time since Dr. Rolland came to deliver her report. I didn't care about their concerned stares; all I cared about was that I had finished her sentence and knew the scary truth of how Alvin's current state could do for him…for his family…for me. If there were people out there who suffered from amnesia and never recovered…then that meant…Alvin had a chance of losing his memory…_permanently_.

At that realization, my throat instantly tightened, making it difficult for me to breathe. My mouth gaped slightly as I struggled to put oxygen into my system. My feet suddenly felt like jello, and I found myself taking an unsteady step back, nearly falling on the floor. Luckily I had managed to back into Miss Miller, who quickly took me into her arms and held me close to her chest. My fingers clutched around the fabric of her hot pink dress as I swallowed another lump in my throat.

"Yes…" the doctor sadly agreed to my response. "Regrettably…they…never truly remember."

My knees became weaker with every passing minute, and I began to feel both depressed and enrage all at the same time. Depressed that Alvin may never remember that he had once loved me…and enraged that I caused all of this to happen. God…how could I have been so damn stupid? I never should have doubted Alvin…he was only trying to protect me from getting hurt…yet I still didn't believe him. Damn it! Why did I do this to him? Why? Stupid, stupid, STUPID!

Dr. Rolland must have noticed my heartache, because she quickly added, "However, there's still a chance that Alvin will regain his full memory."

Shaking my head to get rid of the nasty thoughts that had invaded my mind, I slowly turned my head to look at her, still staying close to my mother. I was about to ask how we could possibly help Alvin regain his memory. But, before I could say another word, someone else had beaten me to the punch.

"What can we do?" Dave asked swiftly. "How can we help Alvin remember?"

"Well, the best thing you can do for Alvin right now is to get him adjusted back into his old routine. Introduce yourself to him, show his pictures of events that occurred in your life, but make sure not to give him too much information. It won't do any good to overwhelm him."

"W-Will that really help?" Theodore jumped in.

"It'll be a start, and hopefully, after a few days, he'll start to remember. For now, we'll keep him for another couple of days for observation, and you are still free to see him. Just remember to act causal and take things slow with him."

Dave nodded slowly and then inquired, "May we bring Miss Miller and the girls with us?"

Dr. Rolland looked around her and made glances at my sisters as well as Miss Miller. Her gaze slowly shifted to where her eyes locked back onto my own for maybe the third time since she came over to the desk. Her eyes were still glassy, and I couldn't help but wonder if the dark haired woman felt sorry for me. I wouldn't blame her if she did. Taking in my fragile appearance, I knew _I_ would feel sorry for me if I were the doctor.

A few moments, she looked back at Dave and replied, "I think that'll be all right, as long as you all don't crowd him. He'll need his space to take in all the new information."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Rolland," Dave said whole-heartedly.

He took her hand in his once again and shook it a little more easily this time. As he let go, he motioned for the large group of family and friends to follow him. Theodore and Eleanor started walking behind Dave first, while Simon and Jeanette trailed in soon after. Staring at the procession, I noticed Jeanette turned her head to stare back at me. She looked so concerned as she looked in my direction, her brow furrowing and her lips curled into a worried frown. I knew she wanted to say something to me, but before she could let out one word, she and the bespectacled chipmunk were already a good distance down the hallway.

Now, it was only the doctor, Miss Miller, and I crowding around the reception desk. Miss Miller continued to hold me close as I hid my face back inside her dress, pondering through so many different questions that my head started to pound against my skull. Should I even bother seeing him? He doesn't know who I am. He doesn't remember the confession he made to me…even the kiss we had shared. I doubt seeing me again would do anything for his memory. He would just ask why the crazy girl was in the room again. I didn't want to have to go through with that. I…I just couldn't go through that…not again.

A quiet sob escaped my lips and Miss Miller pulled me in closer to her. She whispered comforting words to help me feel better, but all they did was make me sob a little louder. Nevertheless, I could still here the conversation that was going on above my head.

"She really cares for him, doesn't she?" I heard Dr. Rolland ask my elderly mother. I didn't want to look at the woman right now for fear that I would start crying harder.

"Yes…she does," Miss Miller answered for me, a slight giggle in her voice. "Even with all the bickering they did as kids, they still cared for one another. It's funny though. I've always known that my girls would fall for David's boys some day; I just never expected to be so soon, and with this whole incident…"

I felt a large rise in her chest as she took in a huge amount of air and then a steady fall as she slowly blew it out. "I just hope that this nightmare will end soon. This has been so hard for her. I don't want to see my daughter unhappy anymore."

Hearing my sweet mother say that, my tears slowly began to disappear, but the salty trail was still evident on my rosy cheeks. I'm not really sure why I felt so calm al of a sudden; I just knew that I didn't want Miss Miller to feel unhappy just because of me. More than anything, I wanted to be happy just so she wouldn't have to worry about me anymore. I guess I just wanted to try to relieve her stress, especially since she was the one comforting me at the moment.

There was a long pause again before I heard the doctor say, "I'll keep all of you in my prayers, but to be honest, I wouldn't worry too much about the amnesia. After all, if Alvin's as strong a kid as I think he is, he'll come back."

At those words, I was surprised to find a small smile forming on my lips. She was right about that. Alvin was one of the toughest, strongest, and bravest people she knew. He would never give up no matter how hard the road ahead seemed. That thought sent a bright, shining light of hope into my being, and my smile soon started to grow.

"Thank you," Miss Miller replied.

Then, the patter of feet against the hard floor filled my ears, making me assume that Dr. Rolland had left. I guess she had other business to attend to. When the sound began to subside, I pulled away from my mother and wiped the tears stains from my face. I let out a long sigh and was shocked to find that my smile was still curled on my lips. At that, I looked up at Miss Miller with a sense of bravery and confidence; I had to be ready for the challenge I knew I had to face again, only this time, I had to be just a little more fearless.

"I'm ready, Miss Miller," I said, trying my best to sound bold.

Responding to my sudden change in spirit, she gave me a big, warm smile as she answered, "All right, dear. Let's go then."

With that being said, Miss Miller took my hand in hers, and we slowly began our journey down the long hallway towards Alvin's hospital room, where an unknown future waited for us.


	16. Auburn Angel

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: HELLO FANFICTION! After a very long break, it feels so great to be back. I sincerely apologize for my absence and lack of updates, but my motivation and inspiration to write has been running dry. Thankfully, the wonderful muses have given some inspiration, and I have been writing almost non-stop since school let out. So, I am pleased to present to you a new chapter! Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter and have sent me messages praising the story! It truly makes me happy to hear from you all! If you like the new chapter, feel free to leave a review and also add the story to your favorites! For now, enjoy!**

**Chapter Sixteen: Auburn Angel**

_**Alvin's Point of View:**_

I let out a long groan just as the raven-haired woman left the room. My legs felt completely sore and my head was beginning to pound against my skull bone. I felt so weak and uncomfortable, and I couldn't even find the strength to move my arms up and down. When I tried to wiggle my fingers, a sharp pain shot through my entire arm, and it wasn't until I shifted my eyes down that I noticed a long tube and needle sticking out of the vain in my hand. My stomach felt like a hollow shell, and a quiet growl ripped through it, which made me wonder when I last had a meal.

God…what the hell happened last night, and why does every inch of my body hurt? Did a truck or something hit me? One might as well have considering the aching in my ribs every time I took in a breath.

Wincing at the slight pain in my chest, I slowly release a small breath and carefully moved my head from side to side, making sure not to cause my stiff neck any discomfort. I looked around the small room, allowing my eyes to wander over every square inch of the tiny space. From the plain white walls and curtains to the thin white bed sheets, I could tell that bleak and miserable was definitely the theme for wherever the hell I was being held. There was absolutely nothing bright and happy about this place. Not to mention it smelled like strong scented sanitary wipes and disinfectant spray.

I repressed the urge to gag by swallowing the lump in my throat and gradually moved my head and followed the source of the tube to find a bag of clear liquid hanging from a tall stand beside my bed. Relaxing my head back into the pillow, I took a moment to recall the name of the raven-haired woman. Did she say she was a doctor? Was I in some kind of medical hospital? Was I in an accident? Is that what the lady said?

Ugh…my brain suddenly felt like a pile of mush as I tried to remember my conversation with the woman. Whatever happened to me in the last few hours, it must have been one hell of a trip.

Closing my eyes, I tried to find some sort of peace of mind so that I might take a moment to think over everything that was going on around me. Unfortunately, the oxygen mask around my head was starting to my make my face feel incredibly itchy, and I wanted nothing more than to take it off. I was breathing just fine after all, so there was no need for me to wear it anymore. Opening my eyes and finding as much strength as I could, I brought my hand to my face and pulled the mask away, carefully slipping it over my head and letting it slide down the side of my pillow.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I placed my weak arm at the side of my body again. With the mask out of the way, I looked up towards the ceiling, taking in each individual dot scattered across the white color of each tile. I tried to access any memories from the last few days, but my mind just wouldn't cooperate. No matter how hard I pressed my brain to think, no images about my past appeared. It was like I had missed out on my entire life, having no clue of my home, my family…I didn't even know who I was anymore. All that came to my mind was my name…Alvin. Other than that…I was surrounded by darkness.

Although, I vaguely remember a voice penetrating through the darkness moments before I woke up. It was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard in my entire life, and I remember being so drawn to it. Before I knew it, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and the closer I moved to the light, the louder and more extraordinary the sweet voice became. I remember reaching towards the light, allowing the warmth of it to engulf my entire being, and as I was swept away in the beam, I heard my name being called. "Alvin?" came the same voice, and as my strength came back, I opened my eyes, letting them focus on the figure before me.

And there she was, sitting just a few inches away from me, with her skin radiating a perfect glow and her slightly puffy eyes shining like the stars in the night sky. Strands of auburn hair fell out of her ponytail, framing her slim face and slender neck. She flashed a brilliant smile in my direction and I suddenly felt my heart skip a beat at her presence. She was absolutely gorgeous, and if I didn't know any better, I would have guessed her to be a heavenly angel.

However, once she had started talking about how we had been friends for years…it just didn't make any sense to me. I hadn't a clue where she came from, or why she was even there beside my bed. She was a complete stranger to me, yet despite having ever seen her in all my life…there was something about her that seemed…familiar. Had we been friends before? Or was it all just a dream?

Drawing a blank on my memories once more, I let out a light, frustrated breath as I turned my head weakly towards the hospital window. I took a moment to listen to the sounds of the birds tweeting and chirping their light songs. They were very sweet, but they did nothing to relieve the anxiety I felt from my lack of memory. I felt like a computer whose stored data had just been deleted, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't retrieve any of the lost pieces. At this point, I was a blank slate…and I really didn't know how to feel about that.

I watched as a bird gracefully flew past the window, and at that moment, only one question seemed to cross my mind…who am I?

Without warning, I suddenly heard the door being clicked open, and I jumped a little in the bed on impulse. The sound of the door creaking and of heels scraping the floor brought me out of my scrambled thoughts, and I slowly turned my head to find that the raven-haired doctor had made an appearance once more. This time, she was not alone. Walking behind her, a tall, middle-aged man wearing a pair of old blue jeans and a worn, red polo shirt had also entered the room. It was strange how the color seemed to stand out to me. Why was that?

Both of the figures stopped right in front of my bed, and I couldn't help but stare at the man before me. Looking the man over, he had jet-black hair smoothed back by a good amount of styling gel, providing it with volume and shine. I took in his slightly wrinkled face, noticing the dark circles around his blue eyes. I guess he hadn't been getting a good night's sleep lately. A small smile spread across his thin, chapped lips, obviously showing that he was glad to see me. I didn't really understand why he seemed so happy though. This is the first time in my life that I had ever seen this man, yet he was showing me a sign of recognition.

I studied him a little more closely, squinting my eyes and taking in every inch of his countenance. I furrowed my brow, confused as to the sudden awareness I felt towards him. Why did this man suddenly seem so familiar? It's like…it's almost as if I had known him my entire life…yet…I had no idea who he is or why he's even here. My head continued to ache as the questions circulated in my head.

Then, the doctor began to speak. "Alvin," she said softly, "There's someone here who would like to speak with you."

The blue-eyed man slowly made his way around to the left side of my bed as the doctor spoke to me. I wasn't really paying attention to her though. In that instant, my eyes never once looked away from him, taking in every move he made, and once he reached the edge of my bed he carefully sat down beside me. The bed creaked loudly with the added weight and continued to do so as the man shifted his body to face me.

With the strange man only about a foot away from me, I kept my eyes locked on him, unsure whether to feel uncomfortable by the closeness. I almost wanted to move my body away from him, anxious by his presence. However, I decided to let the feeling go now, hoping that maybe the man could explain everything to me.

"Hey," the black haired man said, his voice deep and rich. "How do you feel?"

I swallowed the lump that had form in my throat, trying to find my voice once more so that I could respond to the man's question. It had been very hoarse moments ago as I talked to the doctor, and my throat still felt as if it were burning, but the pain was not as excruciating as before. Having finally found it, I replied quietly, "…I'm…okay…I guess. I just…I don't know what happened…"

The man stared at me intently, seeming to take a moment to reflect on my words. "Do you remember why you are here?" he asked me in a cautious manner.

I took a moment to think about my answer, trying to remember my previous discussion with the doctor. "Well…the doctor said I was in a really bad fight…and that I was hurt really bad. Is…is that true?"

"I'm afraid so. You've been in a coma for over a month."

Though I vaguely remembered the raven-haired woman mentioning something about me being asleep for a long time, I was still shocked by that information. A coma? Really? I had been lost in the darkness of my mind for over a month? It was no wonder I felt so weak and useless. My muscles hadn't been in use for weeks.

"I've…I've been out for a month? What? I-I don't understand. H-How did I…? I-I mean…when did I-" In a matter of seconds, my breath started to quicken, and my mouth became dry as my ability to form complete sentences was gone. I could feel the pressure build in my head as my brain tried to break out of my skull, and my limbs started to twitch slightly. Ugh…nothing made sense anymore! What was going on? Why did this happen to me?

Luckily, despite my fit of apprehension, the man's voice swiftly started to soothe me as I felt a blanket of warm wrap about my trembling hand. "Alvin, calm down," I heard him say, his smooth tone suddenly full of concern. "Just breathe deeply."

Without realizing what was happening, I found myself listening to his words and taking in slow, deep breaths. My heartbeat steadied, and my body relaxed into the mattress below me. Once my breathing returned back to normal, I looked down to see the man's hand around my own. I jerked it away quickly, intimidated by the contact, and looked back at him as he said sincerely. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. There's nothing to worry about. You're awake now, and that's all that matters."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that response, but I still stuttered, "I…I guess…but why can't I remember anything? I mean…I don't even know who you are…w-why are you here?"

The black haired man sighed and waited a moment to speak. "Well…I'm here because I have been worried about you, and I care for you very much. I know you don't remember me, but…I'm your father…Dave."

Upon hearing those words, my breath caught in my throat and my eyes grew to the size of tennis balls. My shoulders tensed as so many questions ran through my already aching head, making my brain convulse in mind numbing pain. Did he just say…he was my father? How was that even possible? Wasn't I a completely different species from him anyway? How could he be my father when he was a human?

"M-My…father?" I sputtered in disbelief. "B-But…I don't…I mean…how is this…?"

"Relax, Alvin, just relax," The man named Dave made an effort to calm me down once more as he reached out to place his hands on my shoulders. I moved away from the gesture, not wanting the man who claimed to be my father to touch me. When he noticed my reaction, he pulled back, probably realizing that I needed my personal space. "I'm sorry…again. I probably should have said that I am your _adoptive_ father."

I sighed in relief, letting out the breath that had been stuck in my throat for the last minute. My shoulders and body relaxed into the pillow and sheets again as I said almost sarcastically, "Yeah…that would have been good to know right away."

Though I still wasn't sure I could believe it, my father Dave chuckled at my statement, which meant that he possibly heard the slight disdain in my tone of voice. Then, another question came to my mind. "You said that I was adopted," I began. "W-What about my real parents? I mean…what happened to them?"

Dave took a moment to look back at the doctor, who seemed to give him a very unsure look before he turned back around to face me again. I wonder what they were thinking about. "Well…it's a very long story," he started quietly, "but for the sake of time, I think it's best to save it for another time. There's still time to tell you everything, but for now, there's still so many people who want to see you."

With that being said, Dave looked about the corner and make a "come here" gesture with his hand. Before I could even blink, two chipmunks came from behind the curtain of the room and walked over to the right side of the hospital bed. One chipmunk, a fairly short and heavy set looking guy, sported a dark green colored t-shirt and took a seat beside me, making the bed creak once more. The other chipmunk, leaner and taller than the other chipmunk, wore a blue vest and white collared shirt, and I took note of the thoughtful way he adjusted his black-rimmed glasses. He walked right behind the chubby chipmunk and stood there almost like a statue, placing his hands on top of his shoulders.

The same sense of familiarity I had with Dave ran through my being once again as I stared at the two chipmunks before me, and though it seemed as if I had met them already, my mind was still hazy and cloudy in a mist of uncertainty. I still couldn't put the pieces of my life together, and it bothered me so much that I didn't recognize the two figures in front of me. I let out a quiet, frustrated breath. This was possibly the most frustrating thing I've ever experienced in my life. Well…that is…if I could remember all the frustrating events that have happened to me in my past.

"H-Hey Alvin," said the green-clad chipmunk in a nervous, high-pitched voice. "Do you…do you recognize us?"

I quickly looked at each face in another fruitless attempt to put names to the faintly smiling faces, but with my brain still pressing hard against my bone, my search ended abruptly. "Um…" I hesitated for a moment as I carefully thought about my sentence. "I'm sorry to say this…but…no…I-I don't. I mean…should I?"

"It's okay," The bespectacled chipmunk replied. "We know that you've been through a lot."

"Alvin," Dave spoke again, but my eyes kept their focus on the two chipmunks. "These are your younger brothers, Simon and Theodore."

My breath hitched when I heard Dave say the word "brothers." I stared more intently at the two boys faces, wondering if there was any kind of resemblance between them and me. I was still unsure that what Dave had said was true. In fact, it seemed almost impossible, yet for some strange feeling…I found the corners of my mouth curling into a small, weak smile at the thought of being an older brother. Was it really true? Did I really have younger siblings?

"Br…Brothers?" I asked curiously, slowly glancing over at Dave. "I-I have little brothers?"

At that moment, both Dave and my "brothers" smiled widely down at me, obviously seeing the sibling pride I began to feel written all over my face. It was still hard to believe, but suddenly, I had never felt so happy. It's amazing how two people I couldn't even remember could make me feel this way. It was just…overwhelming.

"We should probably go," the chipmunk named Simon said as he squeezed the other chipmunk's shoulder. "We don't want to overload him with too much information. Ready to go, Theodore?"

The stout chipmunk, Theodore looked up at the blue-clad chipmunk and then back at me before he responded, "Oh…well…okay. We'll see you tomorrow, Alvin. That's a promise."

I chuckled as I found myself saying, "I'll hold you to that…little brother."

At that, Theodore's smile grew bigger, and though I still felt weak and stiff, the tiny smile on my face began to curl more widely as well. Soon, the two chipmunks were walking back around the curtain and out of sight, and once they were gone, I felt a strange, powerful urge to see them again. Wow…talk about a lasting impression.

"Alvin," hearing Dave's voice, I turned my gaze back to him, and it was only when I made eye contact with him that he continued his sentence. "There are still a few more people who would like to see you. Would you still like to see them? Or do you need to rest?"

To be perfectly honest, every bone in my body ached in pain, my limbs were weak and frail, and my skull felt as if it were about to bust open by the pressure from my brain. Though it was very tempting to say I wanted to rest, I decided that meeting the rest of the group that wanted to see me was more important, considering they would probably be seeing them every day from now until the end of time.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I turned to Dave and answered, "I'm fine. I would like to see everyone else."

With a small smile, Dave gave me a swift nod before turning his attention to the hospital curtain. "Miss Miller, you may see him now," he called as he gave another "come here" gesture with his hand.

Before I could even blink, walking towards me was a large, very old woman dressed all in pink and yellow and wearing a bit too much dark make-up for my taste. She almost looked like a clown, and I tried my best to stifle the chuckle in my throat. Her ridiculously voluminous hair bounced as she made her away over to the very end of my bed, and her heeled footwear clicked obnoxiously against the floor, which made my head feel worse than it already was. I groaned a little at the pain but did my best to put it aside for the time being.

She must have been happy to see me because she clasped her hands together and stared longingly at me, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. My brow furrowed at her countenance, wondering if she was really here to see me. How do I even know this crazy looking woman anyway?

"Hello, Alvin," The old woman, Miss Miller I think was her name, greeted me rather cheerfully. "It's nice to see you awake, dear. You've really had us worried sick."

"Uh…thanks…I guess," I slowly responded. "I'm sorry, but…h-how do I know you?"

"Oh, of course! Where are my manners?" She gave her hand a wave when she realized she forgot to explain who she was and finished the rest of her thought. "I'm an old friend of the family. You're father, David, and I have know each other since you were about eight years old. It was around the same time I adopted my girls."

My eyes widened a little in surprise. "Girls?" I asked curiously. "You have daughters?"

"Oh, yes," the old woman replied. "They're here with me today and would like to see you, as long as you feel up to it, dear."

"Oh…well…" It only took me a moment to think about the offer, but the truth was that if I didn't go ahead and meet them now, I would have to wait until later. I figured it would just be easier to meet them now while they were here and willing to see me than to wait any longer for the inevitable. "I guess that will be all right," I finished.

Miss Miller smiled widely at me as she looked over at the curtain and said, "Come on, girls."

She motioned with her arms for the girls to come over to where she was standing, and slowly but surely, three girls, or rather chipmunks I should say, made their way over to their mother. I guess I could see why Miss Miller mentioned that her daughters were adopted. Finally standing in front of their older mother, the girls looked down at me, and I found that same familiarity coming over me again. How odd it was to be surrounded by so many familiar people and have no clue as to their identities or their significance in my life.

With all the girls around me, I took a moment to take in each of the girls' faces and appearances. I started to my left, where a fairly short, blonde haired chipmunk gave me a warm smile, flashing her top row of white, radiant teeth. Her hair was done in long pigtails and she was wearing a spring green shirt and jean shorts. Her brown eyes appeared very bright as she continued to smile at me, and surprisingly, I found her presence comforting.

I then looked over to the taller chipmunk standing in the middle of the group. Wearing big, purple-rimmed glasses similar to Simon's pair of glasses to hide her light green eyes, she only gave me a small smile, not once showing any of her teeth. Sporting the color purple, she wore a plaid, button up shirt with a pair of plain white shorts, and her brown hair was done in tight bun. Her arms wrapped around her upper body, giving off the feeling that she was very shy and had no idea how to respond to the situation. Instead, she remained silent and appeared to be waiting for someone to make the first move.

Finally, as I turned my attention to the last chipmunk in the row, I sucked in a quick breath as my heart began to beat at an alarming rate. My body grew even weaker and my head began spinning not from nausea or pain, but from another feeling that I couldn't describe. Staring at her, I felt so vulnerable, and I didn't understand why I was feeling this way. Familiarity crept through me again. Did she come back? Could it really be her?

I squinted my eyes, focusing on every inch of her persona and drinking in her incredible appearance. Though she did not appear as happy as she had been the last time I had saw her, she still looked as beautiful as when she had left me. Her slightly puffy, yet still sparkling icy blue eyes stared back at me, hypnotizing me into a trance that I could not break out of. I watched as she tucked the loose strands of her auburn hair behind her ear and straightened the hem of her light blue cami shirt, which had gone askew.

Wow…it really was her…it was the angel who had been there when I had woken up. I didn't know why, but I soon felt a feeling of warmth envelope my entire being, and I suddenly felt at ease…almost happy. I couldn't believe how this girl that I didn't even remember could make me feel this way, but at the same time, I didn't even care anymore. All that really mattered was she was there, and that made all the difference in the world.

"Girls, why don't you say hello?" Miss Miller said after a minute of silence.

I found myself shaking my head lightly to relieve me of the strange emotions taking over my body and looked over at the blonde hair chipmunk as she said, "Hi, my name's Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie if you like."

Returning her greeting with a smile, I turned my head to the tall brunette. "I'm Jeanette," she quietly stated.

She continued to smile as I gave her a quick nod of my head, and with my smile growing a little bigger I looked back at the gorgeous angel before me, wondering what beautiful name could she possibly have to greet me. Although I vaguely remember her saying her name previously, her name didn't come to me, so I waited anxiously for her to speak. For the longest time, she didn't say anything; she just stared at me with an intensity that could make one's soul melt like butter on a frying pan. It made me wonder what she was thinking about, and in a way, I almost wished I could read her mind just so she wasn't a mystery to me anymore.

After another minute of silence, I watched as the tall browned haired chipmunk, Jeanette nudged the depressed girl in the arm, beckoning her to introduce herself. Realizing that she had not spoken, she began to pull the corners of her mouth up into a small smile, even though her eyes were still glazed with sadness.

She cleared her throat and appeared to have swallowed down something in her throat as she quietly began to speak, "B-Brittany...It's…It's Brittany. It's…um…nice to see you."

I took a moment to take in what the auburn beauty had said to me, and I couldn't help but reminisce in the sound of her name. It had such character and loveliness in each syllable. What an incredible name for an incredible beauty like her. It sounded like sweet, tranquil music to my ears. I found that my lips started to form the first part of the name, and having realized I had almost said it out loud, I hastily shut my mouth to keep myself quiet. It was so difficult though; I just wanted to know what it felt like to say that name. However, I wasn't going to say it with all these people in the room.

"Mr. Seville," the doctor, whom I forgot was still in the room, finally said after being silent for so long, "I think it's time for Alvin to rest. He's had enough new experiences for one day, and it will do him some good to get a little more rest."

"Oh, y-yes, of course," Dave looked back and forth between the doctor and me as he clumsily began to stand on his feet. The bed creaked at the sudden relief of weight, and Dave turned back to me and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Alvin. Just take it easy okay?"

It was hard to keep myself from stuttering, but I managed to reply, "Um…sure…I will…thanks…uh…dad."

I was still unsure how I felt about calling this man my father, but in the end, it was better than calling him a stranger for the rest of the time I was awake. As he gave me a small smile once more, he motioned for the old woman and the girls to leave the room. Without protesting, she and her daughters began making their way out of the room as the doctor followed suit right behind them. Heels scuffed the floor, and the sound of shuffling feet was prevalent. In no time at all, the door clicked closed and I was left all alone in the smelly hospital room…that is, until I noticed the auburn haired angel still standing at the edge of my bed.

I stared at the girl, wondering why she made no effort to leave the room with the others, and as she made her way over towards the right side of my bed, she stared at me right back. Suddenly, I found it very difficult to breath easily, and my heart pounded hard against my rib cage. She slowly took a seat on my bed, making the mattress creak again, and a whole minute of eerie quiet passed between us. Damn it…I wanted to say something to her…anything…but looking at her…I just couldn't find the right words to say. She made me feel like such a moron, and I didn't even understand why I felt like this.

Luckily, she finally broke the silence between us. "You…you really don't remember me…do you?" She spoke so softly that I almost didn't hear what she had asked me.

Although some part deep down inside me couldn't understand how I even knew such a beautiful woman like her, another part of me wanted to remember her in some way, shape, or form. However, in the end, I didn't remember anything about her, and strangely, it broke my heart.

I sigh in defeat and looked at her face and said, "I'm sorry…but…I don't remember you at all."

With that as her answer, she closed her eyes tightly and looked as if she were choking. She gulped and released a shaky breath, tears appearing in the corners of her eyes. Oh God…had I known my answer would hurt her this much, I never would have said anything. Seeing her in pain was awful, and watching her stand up to leave hurt even worse.

As she wiped her tears away and walked towards the exit sobbing, I quickly called out to her, "I wish I could remember!"

She stopped right at the curtain that separated the two beds, never turning to face me once. Hoping that what I had said had caught her attention, I added shyly, "I really wish I could remember you…I've…never seen anyone as pretty as you…and…I would really like to see you again…Brittany."

With that being said, I watched as Brittany grabbed the hospital curtain and gently tugged at the fabric. She tightened her grip around it and turned her head back to look at me. Tears had stained her cheeks, and her eyes were red and puffy once again. Her tortured stare seemed like an eternity before she sadly shook her head and disappeared behind the curtain without a single word. In a matter of minutes, I heard the door open and close, and I knew that I was alone. She was gone, and I was left with my thoughts.

I looked up at the ceiling once more, thinking about all of the people that I had met today, especially the auburn haired girl who had been there when I woke up. Though I knew absolutely nothing about her, she was still so amazing, and she made me feel so strange. I just didn't understand it. Why did she make me feel this way? And…now that I have seen her and met her…why couldn't I get her out of my mind?

My head ached more at these questions, and even though I desperately wanted the answers to them, I knew that they wouldn't come so easily. With a defeated breath, I weakly laid back as far as I could into the pillow and mattress and closed my eyes. My mind calmed down and I felt at peace with everything around me. Before I knew it, I had slowly drifted into a deep sleep, where a beautiful angel waited for me in my dreams.


	17. Surprising Session

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes, or anything associated with them.**

**Author's Note: Hello again, everyone! Bet you didn't expect an update from me so soon, huh? Well, I am very determined to wrap up this story before school starts in the fall, so be prepared for a summer filled with updates! Just to let you know how many more chapters are left, there are at least five more chapters after this one. There may be one more depending on how I want the story to end, but for now…ENJOY the next installment! Don't forget to leave a review if you really loved the chapter and also add it to your favorites and story alerts. Also, thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter!**

**Chapter Seventeen: Surprising Session**

_**Brittany's Point of View:**_

I walked for what seemed like a thousand miles until I finally reached my destination. Standing in front of the handmade glass, crystal door, I read the gold printed words carefully, which stated "Amelia S. Johnson, PhD. Trained and Certified Psychiatrist." My eyes took in every word of each line as if my entire life and future depended on it, because in that instant, I knew that they would in some way, shape, or form.

Days after Alvin had woken, I knew that I had to seek professional help right away, so when I got home that afternoon, I found the nearest psychiatrist and immediately made an appointment. I continued to read the painted words on the door, letting them bore into my brain so that I may never forget the name. I gulped down the lump in my throat, and I held the denim jacket I brought with me closer to my chest.

I had never felt so nervous in my entire life, especially for someone who was extremely comfortable singing in front of thousands of people all the time. I didn't know what to expect from this shrink, and I _really _didn't want to discuss my entire life's story with a complete stranger. For all I know, she could be looking for any excuse to poke at my brain and make judgments. It was almost tempting to just turn the other way and never return. However, I had already promised Miss Miller, my sisters, and myself that I would see someone about my situation. After all, I couldn't keep living like this anymore…especially considering that things were much worse now.

I closed my eyes tightly as I let my head fall and look away from the words in front of me. My tiny hands gripped tighter around the jean jacket in an attempt to keep my emotions under control. A light sob threatened to escape from my lips, but I quickly choked it back before a sound could even come out of my mouth. Everything felt so useless now; as much as I wanted to be happy that Alvin was awake and going home today rather than laying in the cold hospital bed completely comatose, I just…I couldn't be happy. Alvin woke up not having any idea who he was. He didn't remember his family, my sisters…he didn't even recognize me.

How could I be happy when my best friend…the love of my life…didn't even have a clue as to who I was? How could anyone be happy about something like that?

Opening my eyes, a lone tear gradually fell down my cheek, and I used one of my free hands to let go of my jacket and wipe the wetness away. Thank God, I wasn't wearing any blush today. It would have smeared all over my face. I lifted my head back up and stared at the gold words once again, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

My nerves were still all over the place, but I knew I couldn't keep avoiding the inevitable any longer. I had already made the appointment, and I had already told my family that I would be here. I couldn't…no…I wouldn't go back on my promises. They were counting on me to get better, and there was no way I could gain any sort of self-regulation without someone else's help.

In the end, there was really one thing to do at this point. Bringing my hand up, I placed it gently on the golden doorknob, twisted it, and slowly opened the door, creaking quietly at the motion. I dragged myself inside one foot at a time, my sandals scraping against the carpeted floor, and after I had entered, I pushed the door closed. A light "click" echoed through the room as the door shut. I looked around the reception room, taking time to observe my surroundings.

If one were to compare the room to the hospital, it was only slightly livelier, still carrying about it an aura of sadness due to the blue colors in which the room was decorated. Surrounding the light blue colored walls were dark blue chairs, each lined up in sets of three with a small table separating the sets. The carpet that covered the floor was a similar blue color to the walls only it was decorated with speckles of other assorted colors as well.

On each small table, popular magazines, such as _People_ and _Time_, covered every inch of them, and tiny baby blue desk lamps with white cylindrical shades sat in each right hand corner. None of the lamps were turned on, so I assumed they were only there for decoration. The only main source of light came from the ceiling, where two fans slowly spun to keep the room cool.

The cool air provided by the ceiling fans gave me a chill that ran down my spine. In seconds, goose bumps covered my bare arms and legs, and I immediately regret my outfit choice for the day, a dark pink spring dress, with spaghetti straps. Wrapping my denim jacket around my shoulders, I hastily pulled the sleeves through my arms and buttoned the article of clothing to keep myself warm. I also rubbed my arms to create more warmth for myself. I probably looked ridiculous huddling for warmth as if I were in the Arctic, but at that time, I really didn't care.

"Hello, dear," came a voice out of nowhere.

I jumped a little at the sudden sound and found myself looking to my right where an elderly, frail looking woman sat at a dark wooden desk. From what I could see, she wore a fairly long sleeved, navy blue business suit, her blouse buttoned all the way up to her neck making her look as if she were being choked. Her gray hair fell around her aging round face in waves, covering her ears and exposing only a set of dangling silver hoop earrings. Her green eyes had light bags underneath, and the wrinkles were prominent on her forehead and neck. At one point, she was probably very pretty, but the years had really taken their toll on her.

When she had noticed my staring at her, she quickly sat up straight in her seat and placed her hands on top of her desk, lacing her fingers together little by little. She curved her thin lips into a professional smile, and I tried my best to return her kind smile as I hesitantly crept my way up to her desk. She seemed friendly enough by the way she smiled at me, yet I couldn't help but feel as if it was just a part of her job description. For all I knew, she really just didn't give a damn about any of the people that came in to visit the shrink, and she only had to pretend to be the slightest bit interested. Still, she seemed to disprove my theory, her smile never faltering even once I made it to the front of her desk.

"What can I do for you today, sweetie?" she asked kindly. "Do you have an appointment?"

For some reason I found myself stuttering, unable to form any kind of coherent speech. Clearing my throat, I finally said, "Y-Yes, I do."

The old woman, who I learned was named Mrs. Agatha Crumb from the nameplate sitting at the corner of the desk, gave a slight nod of her head as she carefully pulled out a small, black-leathered notebook from the top drawer. Taking her time, she placed it down on top of the desk, as if the book were a fragile piece of glass that if broken could mean the end of the world, and opened it. The book contained a list of various names written in perfect cursive handwriting.

Reaching over to her left, she pulled out a black pen from her tin can of pencils and pens and asked, "Name, please?"

"Brittany Miller," I answered at a surprisingly fast speed. I guess I was still nervous about the whole situation. After all, it was all a new experience for me. Who wouldn't be edgy about their first time seeing a psychiatrist?

After stating my name, Mrs. Crumb began looking over each page in the notebook, her ballpoint pen hovering up and down the sheets of paper in search of my name. She was moving at a snail's pace and seemed to be making no effort to find it, so I took the time to look over a photo she had sitting beside the tin can of writing utensils. It appeared to be of a large family, obviously Mrs. Crumb's family, consisting mostly of adults in their late thirty's and children all of ages who seemed happy by the way they were grinning like mad. Staring at the picture, I couldn't help but think how beautiful her family was.

I looked back over at Mrs. Crumb to find her pressing the end of her pen down on one of the notebook pages. She placed a small check mark beside, what I assumed was, my name and closed the book slowly, and placed her pen back into the tin can. Shakily finding her feet, she started to stand up from the chair she was occupying, placing her hands on top of her desk for support. I held my breath and watched as she tried to stand on her own, repressing the urge to help her. Damn…how old was this woman anyway? Shouldn't she be retired and sitting in an old, vintage chair at an old folks' home by now?

Luckily, she found her balance quicker than I expected and, once on her feet, smoothed out her business attire. "Have a seat, dear," Mrs. Crumb said, gesturing to the many seats behind me. "I'll let Dr. Johnson know you're here."

With that, the older woman slowly began making her way towards the Dr. Johnson's office, her feet dragging every step almost like a sloth. I swear by the time she reached the door, a full two minutes had passed. I watched as she turned the golden knob and opened the white painted door leading into the shrink's office. The old, fragile woman continued to take slow, deliberate steps as she entered the room and softly closed the door behind her. I stared at the door for a few seconds, taking in the silence that slowly began to descend around me. It was very eerie, and I soon felt uncomfortable by it. Great…I hadn't even met the psychiatrist yet and I was already completely freaked out by the place.

Turning away from the office door and shrugging off the awkward feeling as best I could, I decided to take the first seat I saw, which happened to be the closest one to the door. I crossed my ankles once I took the seat, and I wrapped my arms tightly around myself not only as a way to keep myself warm from the chill in the room, but also as a way to keep myself together. As my head fell towards the ground, my eyes locked onto the spotted carpet. I counted the exact number of spots so that I may distract myself from the situation I was currently in.

Unfortunately, it didn't help, and I soon began to feel really sick. My stomach tied itself in multiple, double knots while my breathing became shaky and strained. It felt as if a boa constrictor had wrapped its thick body around my thin neck and was squeezing the life right out of me. I clenched my eyes shut, and my mouth pressed into a hard line. I could feel my heavy heart beating sporadically as the lump in my throat came back again.

Damn it…why did I feel so nervous about this? It was just one, stupid person I was talking to. It's not like I'm announcing my problems to the entire world, so why was it bothering me so much?

I continued to stare at the ground and repeated those words constantly in my head. I tried to convince myself there was absolutely nothing to worry about and that I was making a big deal out of nothing. However, despite my best efforts to calm myself down, my stomach continued to churn as I gulped down the large lump in my throat. Every bone in my body began to scream, "Get the hell out of here! Now! While you still have a chance!" Turning my head towards the entrance of the room, where the gold letters were now backwards, the temptation to leave returned full throttle, and I couldn't help but think how easy it would be to just do it.

But, as quickly as the idea popped into my head, I shoved it out of my mind before I could even consider leaving and looked away from the door. I shook my head lightly and brought my hands to my temples, massaging them gently to ease the slight ache. God…what was I thinking? I couldn't just leave. I made a promise to my family that I would go through with this, and I knew, regardless of the nausea I felt at that moment that I needed to do this.

I _needed _to do this, and not just for the sake of my sanity…but for everyone else's sanity, too. I had disappointed so many people in the past month. I…I couldn't back out now…not when my family needed me to be strong.

After all…I knew Alvin would have wanted me to go through with it…so I had to do it…for him.

The sound of a door creaking open brought me out of my thoughts, and I turned my head towards the psychiatrist's office to find Mrs. Crumb's head sticking out of the door. She smiled another friendly grin at me as she simply stated, "Dr. Johnson will see you now, sweetie."

Stepping out of the office, she opened the door much wider so that more than one person could enter. She gestured for me to come in, and all at once, my entire body tensed, afraid of what awaited me behind that huge looking door. I took a deep breath and stood up from my seat, letting it out slowly as I began making my way towards the door. Walking over to Mrs. Crumb, my steps were sluggish, almost as if I had stepped in a deep puddle of mud, and my previous temptation to leave came back once more. However, looking at the frail woman holding the door for me, I knew I couldn't turn back now, not when I was so close to my destination.

I finally reached the door and paused for a moment to look at the brittle old woman. While her skin was very wrinkled in some areas, it was still free of age spots and other blemishes. I still believed that she was a very beautiful woman in her younger years, but again, the years really stripped away her youth. The way she struggled to keep the door open appeared to be the proof of the thought, and even under that business suit, I could still see her skinny arm shake.

Relieving her of the door's burden, I placed my hand on it and pushed it away from her body. It was a little heavier than I imagined it would be, but it wasn't something that I couldn't handle holding. "Th-Thank you, ma'am," I whispered politely.

Mrs. Crumb returned my quiet thanks with a courteous nod and continued to hold her smile as she began to exit the room as quickly as she could, which for her wasn't very fast at all. I released my hold on the door, allowing her to close the door. Once I heard the door click, I took a few more deliberate steps into the room. It was then that I finally entered Dr. Amelia Johnson's office.

The entire room was decorated very similarly to the reception room. Everything was blue from the walls to the carpet, and a large, wooden oak desk sat just a great distance from where I was standing with two shelves behind it. Looking in that direction, I found Dr. Johnson sitting there quietly looking over various sheets of paperwork. She didn't even notice that I had entered the room, and I debated whether to inform her of my presence by making some kind of noise. In the end, I decided to stay by the door, wrapping my arms around myself as I continued observing the rest of the surroundings.

Looking to my left, a very large navy blue leather couch, one typically found in any therapist's office, sat by a huge window. Sunlight seeped through the blinds and curtains, adding more radiance to the room. A navy blue leather chair sat at an angle across from the couch. It must have been for the shrink to sit in so that she may scrutinize her vict-…I mean, patients.

Moving over to my right, a huge, slightly decaying potted plant sat in the corner, wilting and begging to be watered. Two shelves of books were set up against the walls, and huge frames were placed in between them. Upon closer inspection, I realized that they were frames of her college degrees, proving to anyone who entered that she was, in fact, a psychiatrist. Hmm…well…at least I know I'm getting my money's worth.

"Hello, Brittany," I heard a light voice say, startling me out of my reverie.

I looked back towards the desk to find Dr. Johnson no longer doing paper and staring right at me with her piercing blue eyes. Her smile appeared very genuine as she brushed away some loose, blonde curls from her heart-shaped face. The rest of her hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail, and a pen was tucked neatly behind her left ear. Her attire, though very similar to Mrs. Crumb's business suit, was black with a knee length pencil skirt instead of dress pants.

Stacking her papers in a pile, stood up from her desk, grabbing a clipboard before walking around her desk around the desk. "Don't be shy," she said kindly. "Come, have a seat. Make yourself at home."

At that comment, I resisted the urge to scoff at the blonde shrink. How could anyone possibly feel at home in a place like this? A place where someone's psyche needed to be probed and tested to see whether he or she needed a ton of medication for his or her mental illness. God damn it! I'm not a crazy person! I didn't need anything from her!

I shook the hateful thoughts from my head as I made my way over to the leather couch. Once near the couch, I bent over and took a seat, finding a comfortable position and placing my hands in my lap. I smoothed out the wrinkles from my dress and stared down at my hands. Fiddling around with my fingers and the seam, I patiently waited for Dr. Johnson to walk over in this direction. It wasn't until a few moments later that the sound of light footsteps reached my ear. I looked up from my lap to find the neatly dressed psychiatric specialist walking over to the chair next to the couch, a wooden clipboard tucked under her left arm.

Upon taking her seat, she pulled a black pen out from her jacket pocket, pushing down the top so that she could write something down on whatever piece of paper she had on her clipboard. Once she had finished writing, she looked back up at me and smiled a soft, brilliant grin, which seem to suit her delicate face perfectly. I looked over her appearance again, thinking that she was kind of beautiful for a shrink…something that I really didn't like to admit. I forcefully returned her smile with one of my own and looked away from her, locking my eyes onto my hands once more. My lips pressed into a hard line, and I didn't once dare to look up at the blonde haired woman in front of me.

I didn't even look at her when she started speaking. "Brittany, I know you probably don't want to be here, much less talk to a complete stranger about your problems. I understand how scary it must feel to be in an awkward place full of strange people. You might be feeling sick to your stomach, wishing you could just leave and never come back."

My brow furrowed in confusion as I was taken aback by Dr. Johnson's thoughtful words. Actually, saying that I was completely surprised was an understatement. The more correct term would have been _utterly shocked_. I would have never in a million years expected that to come out of her mouth, and I soon found that my head was moving up to gaze into her eyes. Staring long and hard, they held compassion and understanding, even though her smile was no longer there.

How could she have possibly figured out the feelings that had gone through my entire being within the past ten minutes? Was she some kind of mind reader or something? It just wasn't humanly possible for her to understand.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I had almost missed the rest of Dr. Johnson's speech. "I understand how you feel, because I once sat where you are right now," she explained clearly. "I myself had to deal with emotional and mental trauma in my life, and there was once a moment where I was too stubborn to seek therapy."

Listening intently to the shrink's brief back-story, I couldn't help but wonder if she was bullshitting me, or if she really meant everything that she was saying. I watched as her countenance fell only slightly, which seem to indicate that she was telling me the truth. Wow…she really did understand…didn't she?

She cleared her throat before continuing on. "However, I just want you to know that there's no need to be afraid. I am here to help you in anyway I can. I can be a shoulder for you to cry on, an ear to listen to anything you would like to discuss in these sessions…I can be anything you need me to be. I'm not here to make immediate judgments about your mental stability. While you are in this room, you are free to talk about anything you want, and it is all under confidentiality. You can trust me. My lips are sealed."

To emphasize her point of confidentiality, Dr. Johnson placed the pen down on the clipboard, brought it up to the corner of her mouth, and "zipped" her lips together, throwing the imaginary key away as she did so. She gave me another warm, inviting smile as she took the pen back in her hand. Suddenly, her presence started to feel strangely comforting.

For a shrink, she was incredibly friendly and nice. She seemed to offer her patients anything they needed in order to help them feel better, which was something that I really admired. Still, I kept my guard up about the situation. After all, the real treatment hadn't even begun yet, and who knows what all she had planned for me.

Crossing her legs elegantly and pulling her skirt down toward her knees, Dr. Johnson prepared her clipboard and pen, indicating that she was ready to begin the session. "So, Brittany," she began casually. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"Oh…w-well…um…" My voice shook from the heavy nerves that started to build with in me once more. I really didn't want to tell this woman _everything_, but at the same time, I felt I could tell her anything. She just appeared so pleasant to be around; how could anyone not be willing to tell her his or her life-story?

Quickly gathering my thoughts and clearing my throat, I calmed my nerves down enough to give her the basic information. "I-I'm sixteen years old at the moment. I'll be seventeen in July. I attend Winchester High School, where I'm just trying to survive all of my boring classes. I wouldn't say I'm dumb, but I'm not exactly a genius either.

"I love to sing. Music has always been a huge part of my life. I don't think I could ever go a moment without it. I also enjoy dancing, and sometimes I like to doodle. Nothing professional…just something to pass the time."

Dr. Johnson made a quick note on her clipboard. "So, I guess you would consider yourself to be more of the artsy type?"

To my surprise, I giggled lightly at that remark. "I…I guess you could say something like that."

The psychiatrist continued to smile at me as we continued the conversation. "What can you tell me about your family?"

I smoothed down my dressed once more and answered. "I have two little sisters, Jeanette and Eleanor. I've been looking after them ever since we were all born. I'm very protective of them because for the longest time, they were my only family. You see…we never really knew our real mom and dad. It's still a mystery as to whether or not they just left us in the dust or if they died while we were young, but we never saw them."

"Goodness…" Dr. Johnson seemed heartbroken by my confession. "I'm so sorry, Brittany."

"I-It's all right. It worked out for the best. When my sisters and I were eight years old, a sweet older woman named Beatrice Miller took us in. She treats us just like we were her own daughters, and she always makes an effort to keep us comfortable and happy. We live in a pretty nice neighborhood filled with wonderful people, so I guess you could say everything turned out for the best."

"That's really great to hear," the shrink commented and turned to the page on her clipboard. I watched her closely as she scribbled a few words down quickly. I wonder what she saying about me on that piece of paper. Although, I wasn't really sure what she could have been writing considering she had only asked me two questions so far.

"You know," she went on. "I myself kind of know what it is like to live without your birth parents present in your life. I was given up for adoption when I was just a baby, so the only parent in my life is my adoptive mother."

Tucking my hair behind my ear, I was once again taken aback by the psychiatrist's sudden statement. However, I was also a little skeptical. Was she being truthful, or was she just trying to get on my good side so that I might open up to her more?

"Really?" I asked curiously.

"Mmhmm, it's true," she replied. "My mother told me that my birth parents couldn't afford to take care of me, so they had no choice but to put me up for adoption. When I look back on the decision, I feel they made the right choice. I'm not mad at them for letting me go anymore, because I finally understood why they had to."

"Yeah…" I found that I was completely speechless. I just couldn't believe that this woman had confided in me about something that had happened to her years ago. Honestly, how many psychiatrists do that for their patients? If I had to answer, there was probably none willing to do what she had done.

In just a matter of five minutes, I could already tell that Dr. Johnson wanted more that a mere doctor-patient relationship. She wanted us to feel as if we had been best friends for many years and could divulge our secrets to one another. It was such a strange feeling to have such an immediate connection with someone like this, but her presence was just so soothing and uplifting. I couldn't help but feel safe in her office, and I knew that our future appointments together would be ones to remember.

"So," she started as she quickly wrote down another note, "tell me more about your two sisters. What are they like?"

"Well, Jeanette is the smart one in our family," I crossed my legs casually, thinking how easy it suddenly felt to talk about myself. "Ever since elementary school, she has received straight A's on her report cards has won countless science awards. She absolutely loves reading books, especially those long plays written by that Shakespeare guy.

"Eleanor is the most caring person I know. Whenever Jeanette and I are sad and feeling lonely, she would always be there for us. Usually, she'll make us hot cocoa while we all talk about how awful our lives are that particular day. She gives us great advice, too, and she's an amazing cook. She once made a cake as big as a small child. Don't ask me how she got it to fit in the oven, because I'm still trying to figure that one out."

At that, Dr. Johnson laughed out loud. "Wow! What a very diverse group of young ladies. It sounds like you have wonderful sisters. You must be very proud of them."

I found myself smiling and blushing a little when she mentioned the pride I felt for my sisters. Though I never usually liked to admit it, it was still very true. "Yeah…I am."

After jotting down a few more notes, the kind shrink turned her attention back to me, another smile plastered on her face. "So, Brittany, you mentioned earlier that you love to sing."

"Oh, absolutely," I said rather enthusiastically. "I've been singing ever since I was a baby in the crib. Truth be told, my sisters and I were a singing group once upon a time. They called us 'The Chipettes' when we first became famous, and we had done many performances."

"Oh, yes, of course," Dr. Johnson grinned. "I remember you ladies now. You all have such fine voices. I'm surprised you all aren't still performing."

Sighing deeply, I shrugged my shoulders and uncrossed my legs. "Yeah, well…when my sisters and I entered high school, we decided to go our separate ways and peruse other activities. Jeanette is focusing on her studies and working towards becoming a famous writer. Eleanor is studying culinary arts as often as she can, hoping to one day open her own restaurant."

"And what about you, Brittany? What do you do now a days?"

"I stayed with music and became a solo artist," I brushed my hair away from my eyes and continued speaking. "You see…being on stage is the one place where I feel I can shine. I love being the center of attention, and it makes me happy knowing that my singing makes others feel amazing."

Dr. Johnson smiled even more as she wrote down a few notes on her clipboard once more, and I decided to lie back on the big couch, finding a comfortable position so that my back was fully supported. "My sisters and I have shared some crazy moments though," I added, feeling more talkative than before, "especially when we were kids were surrounded by Alvin, Simon, and Theodore."

"Oh?" the blonde psychiatrist inquired. "Are they friends of yours?

"Yep, all three of them are brothers, and we've been best friends since we were eight years old. We've had play dates, sleepovers, movie dates…if you name it then we have probably done it. Although there were times when Alvin, the eldest, and I would get our siblings involved in one of our hair-brained, money-making schemes, most of which ended up in a messy disaster.

"Oh, I remember this one time where we tried to create and sell our own perfume. Boy, did that blow up right in our faces."

Recalling the memory, I began to chuckle just as Dr. Johnson let out a light giggle of her own. "It sounds like you and Alvin were an interesting team when you all were children, huh?"

I propped myself on my right arm as I said, "Oh, I'm only just beginning…" and for the next half an hour, I found myself reminiscing through every single memory of the crazy adventures my partner in crime Alvin and I had done over the years. I mentioned the constant arguing we did as little kids and how they had dwindled down by the time we reached middle school. Actually, a lot of our "arguing" was more of us teasing each other every now and then. It's amazing how our relationship had changed over the years.

Before I even knew it, I began bringing up particular moments that we had shared, one of them being the time we roller bladed in the neighborhood when we were younger. Another was of about the events that occurred during the final formal dance in eighth grade when I realize that one of my ex-boyfriends was cheating on me.

"And then," I went on, "I turn around and there's Danny making out with some bitch from my third period class! I was so pissed that I walked over to him and slapped that jerk right on the face. I was so heartbroken by what he did that I ended up running out of the gym crying. It was awful."

"I'm really sorry to hear that, Brittany," Dr. Johnson replied sadly. "I've experienced heartbreak myself when I was your age, so I truly understand how difficult dating is. After all, no one ever said love was easy."

"You're telling me," I said, rolling my eyes as I lay back on the couch. "Well, anyway, after I ran out, I found a bench where I just sat and balled my eyes out for a good five minutes. After that, Alvin came and found me. It was so embarrassed having him see me so vulnerable and weak. He hardly ever sees me crying the way I did that night…

"But…despite the fact that I looked like complete crap with my hair messy and my makeup smeared…he still told me that I looked great. He held me tightly…and said so many sweet things to me. He was really there for me when I needed him…"

At that moment, I felt my lips curl up into a small smile. Though, I still felt broken on the inside, remembering all of the happy moments Alvin and I shared together made me feel…in a strange way…happy…happier than I had felt in a long time. It was a very unexpected feeling, but I really started to feel a little better. I guess I never really stopped to think about all of the good times spent with my other half, but with the help of this complete stranger, I felt just a little stronger than before. It was an incredible feeling.

Releasing a long sigh, I turned my head over to look at the shrink, who was still continuing to smile that radiant smile at me. Then, after a few seconds, she spoke. "Alvin must be a very good friend. You seem to care for him a lot."

My cheeks soon began heating up from the embarrassment and utter humiliation I felt from confessing my every memory to her. I slowly sat up in the large couch, scratching the leather slightly with my fingernails and making it squeak with my sudden change in position.

"Well…" I started quietly. "He used to be a good friend…but…not anymore…"

My sentence trailed off, and I nervously tucked a few strains of hair out of my face. I suddenly started to feel uncomfortable, looking away from Dr. Johnson as my blush grew darker in color. I knew she was expecting me to go on and tell her the rest of the story…I just…I just didn't think I was ready to confess to her the biggest mistake of my life. It was still too painful of a memory to explain.

With that in mind, I finished, "I-If you don't mind, Dr. Johnson…I-I would rather not continue with the discussion."

Silence fell upon us, and a whole minute had passed neither of us having said a word to each other. My stomach began to churn again as I wondered what the blonde in front of me was thinking about. Was she offended by my sudden closure? Was she going to force the truth out of me? What could have possibly been on this woman's mind?

With a quick sigh and a few short strokes of her pen, the psychiatrist focused all of her attention to me and answered, "If that is how you feel Brittany, then I will not push you. If talking about your current relationship with Alvin is uncomfortable with you at the moment, you do not have to talk about it right now. After all, I've built my psychological career by creating strong, friendly relationships with my patients, and it is my job to make sure you feel comfortable at all times. Just know that whenever you are ready to talk, I am here to listen."

My breath hitched slightly, and my eyes grew to the size of tennis balls as I processed the words she had spoken. Needless to say that I was completely shocked by what she had just said to me. I just couldn't believe how sincere she was towards me. She really wasn't going to push me and make me feel uncomfortable. She was willing to give me all the time that I needed in order to open up to her, and I found myself admiring her that much more. It was just amazing.

"I-I…uh…" I suddenly had a hard time finding the words to say until a few a seconds later when I found myself stuttering, "T-Thank you."

Dr. Johnson responded with a nod and a warm smile, giving off the impression that I could trust her, and surprisingly, I believed her whole-heartedly. She then looked down at the watch around her left wrist, and said, "Oh my, time sure does fly. Well, your first session is over, Brittany,"

She then stood up from the chair and tucked the clipboard under her left arm. "Come on, I'll escort you out while we talk about your next appointment."

Taking her lead, I slowly stood up from the couch and stretched out my back, bending backwards until I heard it pop loudly. I then smoothed out my pink dress and buttoned up my jean jacket, preparing myself to exit out of the room. Once I was ready, Dr. Johnson and I began making our way out of her office. She moved ahead of me so that she may open the door for me to exit. Saying a quick "after you," she motioned for me to exit the room first, and I followed her kind gesture not wanting to be rude.

Walking out of the door, the blonde psychiatrist followed, closing of a door behind her as she did so, and together, we walked through the reception room, where I took a brief glance at Mrs. Crumb, who was working on some paperwork. She must have heard us exit the office, because she looked up from all the papers on her desk and gave me another sweet smile like she had before. I returned that smile as we walked passed her and reached the exit.

I turned around to face Dr. Johnson, who had extended her arm out as an invitation for me to take it. Still wanting to be polite, I took her hand in mine, and shook it lightly.

"It was a real pleasure meeting and getting to know you, Brittany," she said as she continued to give me a firm handshake. "You are a wonderful girl, and I really look forward to seeing you again. How does an early morning appointment at the end of this week sound?"

When our handshake ended, I took my hand back and wrapped my arms around myself. "I…I guess that would be all right. It was really nice to meet you too, Dr. Johnson."

"All right then, it's a date," she smiled another bright smile at me as she took the gold knob in her hand and opened the glass door for me. "Have a wonderful day, Brittany, and I'll see you in a few days."

I nervously pushed the door opened wider as I replied. "I-I will. I hope you do, too."

With those last goodbyes, I exited the psychiatrist's office and watched as Dr. Johnson waved farewell. I returned with a quick wave of my own as the door began to shut close with a loud "clank," and with that, I slowly started making my way out of the building. Replaying what had occurred in the session over and over again, I was still amazed by how nice and understanding she was towards me. Without even realizing what I was doing, I smiled. I was very lucky to have met Dr. Johnson and was glad that I had made the decision to see her. If I were to be completely honest, I truly couldn't wait for our next appointment.

I left the building that day more satisfied than I had ever expected, and at that moment…I couldn't have been happier.


End file.
